Part 42 (1/2)
Broken in mind and body, the odalisk dragged herself to his knees, and seizing his hand drew it to her breast and to her lips. She could not speak, she could only sob and weep.
Feriz looked at her compa.s.sionately.
”Thou hast done well,” he said gently.
The girl embraced the youth's knees, and it was well with her that he suffered her to do so.
”I thank thee for keeping thy word,” said Feriz; ”look now! that woman was not my beloved. She has a husband who loves her.”
Indescribably sweet were these words to the damsel. In them she found the sweetest reward for her sufferings and self-sacrifice. Then it was not love after all which made Feriz save this woman through her!
The uproar meanwhile was extending along the sh.o.r.e, the pursuers could see that they were on the track of the fugitives.
”We must be off,” said Feriz; ”wouldst thou like to come with me?”
”Come with him!” What a thought was that for Azrael! To be able to live under the same roof with him!
Yet she answered: ”I will not come.”
It occurred to her that if she were found with the dear youth he would perish because of her. And besides, she knew that the invitation was due not to love but to magnanimous grat.i.tude.
”I want to go over to the island,” she said in a faint voice.
”Then I'll help thee to find thy skiff,” said the youth, extending his hand to the odalisk to raise her up.
She was still kneeling on the ground before him.
She fixed upon him her large eyes swimming with tears, and whispered in a tremulous voice:
”Feriz! Thou wert wont to reward those damsels who sacrificed themselves for thee, who died n.o.bly and valiantly because they loved thee. Have not I also won that reward?”
Feriz Beg sadly lowered his head as if it afflicted him to think of the significance of these words; then softly, gently, he bent over the damsel, and drawing her lovely head towards him, pressed a warm, feeling kiss on her marble forehead.
The odalisk trembled with rapture beneath the load of that more than earthly sensation of pleasure, and leaping up and stretching her arms to Heaven, she whispered:
”I am happy!--For the first time in my life. Now I may go--and die.”
Feriz, tenderly embracing her, led the damsel to her skiff. Then she stopped suddenly, and leaning her head against the shoulder of the youth, murmured in his ear:
”When thou reachest thy kiosk, lie not down to sleep! Sit at thy window and look towards the island in the direction of sunrise. The night will be over ere long, and the dawn will come sooner than at other times.
When thou seest this portent think of me and say for me the prayer which is used before the cold dawn, and say from thy heart: 'That woman does penance for her sins!'”
The odalisk felt two tear-drops falling upon her cheek. They fell from the eyes of the youth.
She could never feel happier in this world than she felt now.
A few minutes later the skiff was flying over the rocking waves.
CHAPTER XX.