Part 46 (1/2)
”Threaten?” sneered Sakr-el-Bahr ”I prophesy” And on that he turned, and stalked away down the gangway to the vessel's waist There was no purpose in his going other than his perceiving that here argument orse than useless, and that the wiser course were to withdraw at once, avoiding it and allowing his veiled threat to work upon the Basha's e Asad watched his departure On the point of co lest in his present mood Sakr-el-Bahr should flout his authority and under the eyes of all refuse hiood to co able to enforce obedience, that an authority once successfully flouted is in itself half-shattered
Whilst still he hesitated, Marzak, who had also risen, caught hiu him to yield to Sakr-el-Bahr's demand
”It is the sure way,” he cried insistently ”Shall all be jeopardized for the sake of that whey-faced daughter of perdition? In the name of Shaitan, let us be rid of her; set her ashore as he demands, as the price of peace between us and hiled e coiers It is the sure way--the sure way!”
Asad turned at last to look into that handsoer face For a moment he was at a loss; then he had recourse to sophistry ”Am I a coward that I should refuse all ways but sure ones?” he de tone ”Or art thou a coho can counsel none other?”
”My anxiety is all for thee, O nantly ”I doubt if it be safe to sleep, lest he should stir up ht”
”Have no fear,” replied Asad ”Myself I have set the watch, and the officers are all trustworthy Biskaine is even now in the forecastle taking the feeling of the men Soon we shall know precisely where we stand”
”In thy place I would er ofthe woman, and settle after-wards with himself”
”Abandon that Frankish pearl?” quoth Asad Slowly he shook his head
”Nay, nay! She is a garden that shall yield ether we shall yet taste the sweet sherbet of Kansar, and she shall thankled her into Paradise Abandon that rosy-lihed softly on a note of exaltation, whilst in the gloo of Fenzileh
”She is an infidel,” his son sternly reminded him, ”so forbidden thee by the Prophet Wilt thou be as blind to that as to thine own peril?” Then his voice gathering veheone naked of face through the streets of Algiers; she has been gaped at by the rabble in the sok; this loveliness of hers has been deflowered by the greedy gaze of Jew and Moor and Turk; galley-slaves and negroes have feasted their eyes upon her unveiled beauty; one of thy captains hath owned her his wife” He laughed ”By Allah, I do not know thee, O my father! Is this the woman thou wouldst take for thine own? This the woman for whose possession thou wouldst jeopardize thy life and perhaps the very Bashalik itself!”
Asad clenched his hands until the nails bit into his flesh Every word his son had uttered had been as a lash to his soul The truth of it was not to be contested He was humiliated and shamed Yet was he not conquered of his madness, nor diverted from his course Before he could ure of Biskaine caerly, thankful for this chance to turn the subject
Biskaine was downcast His neas to be read in his countenance ”The task appointed me was difficult,” said he ”I have done o about it in such a fashi+on as to draw definite conclusions But this I know, my lord, that he will be reckless indeed if he dares to take up are thine authority
So much at least I am permitted to conclude”
”No ainst him, and to seek to settle this matter out of hand?”
Biskaine paused a”I cannot think but that Allah would vouchsafe thee victory,” he said But his words did not delude the Basha He recognized them to be no more than those which respect for him dictated to his officer ”Yet,” continued Biskaine, ”I should judge thee reckless too, e him in the like circumstances”
”I see,” said Asad ”The matter stands so balanced that neither of us dare put it to the test”
”Thou hast said it”
”Then is thy course plain to thee!” cried Marzak, eager to renew his arguments ”Accept his ter in its own hour and each hour is written I will consider what to do”
Below on the waist-deck Sakr-el-Bahr was pacing with Vigitello, and Vigitello's words to him were of a tenor identical almost with those of Biskaine to the Basha
”I scarce can judge,” said the Italian renegade ”But I do think that it were not wise for either thou or Asad to take the first step against the other”
”Are matters, then, so equal between us?”