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Soada's mother had had red-brown hair, and not black as becomes a fellah woman; but Wassef was proud of this ancient heritage of red hair, which belonged to a field-marshal of Great Britain so he swore by the beard of the Prophet. That is why he had not beaten Soada these months past when she refused to answer him, when with cold stubbornness she gave him his meals or withheld them at her will.
And Allah put a thorn into my heart, that a sharp pain went through my body and at last I fell." Soada's eyes were on him now with a strange, swimming brilliancy. "Mahommed Mahommed Selim, Allah touched thine eyes that thou didst see truly," she said eagerly. "Speak not till I have done," he answered. "When I waked again I was alone in the desert, no food, no water, and the dead camel beside me.
Before another quarter was added to the moon, Yusef, the drunken ghaffir, at the door of Soada's hut in Beni Souef, told old Fatima the most wonderful tale, how Mahommed Selim had died on his sheepskin, having killed ten Dervishes with his own hand; and that a whole regiment had attended his funeral. This is to the credit of Yusef's account, that the last half of his statement was no lie.
Before another quarter was added to the moon, Yusef, the drunken ghaffir, at the door of Soada's hut in Beni Souef, told old Fatima the most wonderful tale, how Mahommed Selim had died on his sheepskin, having killed ten Dervishes with his own hand; and that a whole regiment had attended his funeral. This is to the credit of Yusef's account, that the last half of his statement was no lie.
Was it not even said that Soada's mother was descended from an English slave with red hair, who in the terrible disaster at Damietta in 1805 had been carried away into captivity on the Nile, where he married a fellah woman and died a good Mussulman?
Soada's trinkets and bracelets were perhaps no better than those of her companions, but her one garment was of the linen of Beni Mazar, as good as that worn by the Sheikh-Elbeled himself. Wassef the camel-driver, being proud of Soada, gave her the advantage of his frequent good fortune in desert loot and Nile backsheesh.
When the time was up, and Mahommed Selim drew Soada's face to his breast, he knew that it was the last look and last embrace. "I am going back," he said; "my place is empty at Dongola." "No, no, thou shalt not go," she cried. "See how the little one loves thee," she urged, and, sobbing, she held the child up to him. But he spoke softly to her, and at last she said: "Kiss me, Mahommed Selim.
Soada's trinkets and bracelets were perhaps no better than those of her companions, but her one garment was of the linen of Beni Mazar, as good as that worn by the Sheikh-Elbeled himself. Wassef the camel-driver, being proud of Soada, gave her the advantage of his frequent good fortune in desert loot and Nile backsheesh.
Soada's eyes were on him now as though they might never leave him again; and she dragged herself little by little towards him, herself and the child little by little, until at last she touched his feet, and the child's face was turned towards him from its mother's breast. "Thou art my love, Mahommed Selim," she said. He raised his head from his hands, a hunger of desire in his face.
Soada's eyes were on him now as though they might never leave him again; and she dragged herself little by little towards him, herself and the child little by little, until at last she touched his feet, and the child's face was turned towards him from its mother's breast. "Thou art my love, Mahommed Selim," she said. He raised his head from his hands, a hunger of desire in his face.
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