Part 11 (1/2)
”No, doubtless,” replied Than all these symptoms, for some reason or another, so skilfully as to deceive the hted I believe that the maiden had swooned, as a matter of fact”
”Then what are you suspicious of?”
”How did she happen to be there in the ht; in this distant quarter inhabited only by the poor captives of our tribe who brick, and to whom he refuses the straw necessary to burn the bricks? What yptian wo wet, as if she had just eed from a pool or from the river?”
”I know no more than you do,” replied Ra'hel
”Suppose she were a spy of our hted up with hatred ”Great events are preparing,--who knohether the alarirl, ill as she is, hurt us? She is in our hands, weak, alone, ill Besides, we can, at the least suspicious sign, keep her prisoner until the day of deliverance”
”In any case, she is not to be trusted See how delicate and soft are her hands!”
And old Tha Tahoser
”In what respect can the fineness of her skin endanger us?”
”Oh, imprudent youth!” said Tha, which walks through life trustfully, without believing in arass, in hot coals under the ashes, and which would gladly caress a viper, believing it to be only a snake Open your eyes! That wo to the class of which she seems to be; her thumb has never been flattened on the thread of the spindle, and that little hand, softened by essences and pouise”
Thamar's words appeared to impress Ra'hel; she examined Tahoserrays, and the delicate forht relaxed in sleep The arm which Thamar had raised still rested upon thewhiter by contrast with the dark stuff; the wrist was circled with a bracelet of sandal wood, the commonplace adornment of the coquetry of poverty; but if the ornahly chased, the flesh it covered seemed to have been washed in the perfumed bath of riches Then Ra'hel sa beautiful was Tahoser, but the discovery excited no evil feeling in her heart; Tahoser's beauty softened, instead of irritating her as it did Thamar; she could not believe that such perfection concealed a vile and perfidious soul; and in this respect her youthful candour judgedexperience of her reorse She was delirious at tied slumber
”If she were to die here,” said Tha killed her”
”She will not die,” replied Ra'hel, putting a cup of cool water to the lips of the sick girl
”If she does, I shall throw her body by night into the Nile,” continued the obstinate Thamar, ”and the crocodiles will undertake to ht caiven the usual signal, appeared as he had done the night before on the threshold of the hut
Ra'hel caned to hi Poeri, whom Ra'hel led by the hand to the bed on which Tahoser rested, at once recognised the shaood deal, especially since the visit of Ti for her in his master's name
Marked astonish bent over the bed to irl who lay there was the one whom he had welcomed, for he could not understand how she happened to be in this place His look of surprise smote Ra'hel to the heart She stood in front of Poeri to read the truth in his eyes, placed her hands upon his shoulders, and fixing her glance upon him, said, in a dry, sharp voice which contrasted with her speech, usually as gentle as the cooing of a dove,--
”So you know her?”
Tharinned with satisfaction; she was proud of her perspicacity, and aler partially justified
”Yes,” replied Poeri, quietly
The bright eyes of the old woman sparkled with malicious curiosity
Ra'hel's face resuer doubted her lover