Volume Ii Part 14 (1/2)
She turned pale.
”What is it? Why must I walk?”
”Our right-hand pole is broken, and we have nothing to tie it with.”
And the other man added: ”If we only had a rope!”
Now the mishap was not uncommon, and remembering the fact, Lael grew cooler, and bethought herself of the silken scarf about her waist. To take it off was the work of a moment.
”Here,” she said, rather pleased at her presence of mind; ”you can make a rope of this.”
They took the scarf, and busied themselves, she thought, trying to bandage the fractured shaft. Again they stood before the door.
”We have done the best we can. The pole will hold the chair, but not with the Princess. She must walk--there is nothing else for her.”
Thereupon the a.s.sistant interposed a suggestion: ”One of us can go for another chair, and overtake the Princess before she reaches the gate.”
This was plausible, and Lael stepped forth. She sought the sun first; the palace hid it, yet she was cheered by its last rays redly enlivening the heights of Scutari across the Bosphorus, and felicitated herself thinking it still possible to get home before the night was completely fallen.
”Yes, one of you may seek another”--
That instant the sedan her porters had descried before they entered the copse caught her eyes. Doubt, fear, suspicion vanished; her face brightened: ”A chair! A chair!--and no one in it!” she cried, with the vivacity of a child. ”Bring it here, and let us be gone.”
The carriage so heartily welcomed was of the ordinary cla.s.s, and the carriers were poorly clad, hard-featured men, but stout and well trained. They came at call.
”Where are you going?”
”To the wall.”
”Are you engaged?”
”No, we hoped to find some one belated there.”
”Do you know Uel the merchant?”
”We have heard of him. He has a stall in the market, and deals in diamonds.”
”Do you know where his house is?”
”On the street from St. Peter's Gate, under the church by the old cistern.”
”We have a pa.s.senger here, his daughter, and want you to carry her home.
One of our poles is broken.”
”Will she pay us our price?”
”How much do you want?”