The Diva's Ruby

d, and he was not usually fond of going slow. Though September was at hand, and Guernsey was already on the port quarter, the sea was motionless and not so much as a cat's-paw stirred the st

of wearing a hat she had bound a dove-coloured motor-veil on her head by a single thick gold cord, in the Asiatic way, and the thin folds hung down on each side, and lay on her shoulders, shading her face, and the breeze stirred them. Logotheti's valet had been sent out in a

not altogether forgotten the lingua franca of Asia. It was her first place, outside of the retired missionary's house, where she had been brought up and taught by a good old lady who had much to say about the heathen, and gave her to understand that all her deceased forefathers and relatives were frying. As she could not quite believe this, and had not a grateful disposition, and was of

ck-house, she was telling the story of her life and explaining things gen

e him. Logotheti watched her delicate, energetic profile, admiring the curves of her closed lips, and the wilful turning up of her little chin. She was more than very pretty now, he thought, and he was quietly amused at his own audacity in taking her to sea a

des, her steel bodkin with the silver handle had been given back to her, and she could feel it in its place when she pressed her left hand to her side. But the little maid who had

chance she had fallen so sound asleep that she had not waked for twelve hours. Logotheti's intention was to take her to Paris by a roundabout way, and establish her under some proper sort of protection. Margaret was still in Germany, but would soon return to France, and he

him entirely, being so worn out with fatigue and bodily discomfort, that she was already half asleep when he had at last brought her on board, late on the previous night. Before the yacht had sailed he had received Van Tor

head a little towa

re is gold, and men bow before you. You say: "Set Baraka free," and I am free. Also, you say: "Give her the ruby that is hers," and they give it, and her belongings, too, all clean and in good order and nothing stolen. You are a king. Like a king, you have a new fire-ship of your own and an army of young men to do your bidding. They are cleaner and bette

onventional and intended to convey that sort of flattery which is dear to the Oriental soul. Baraka knew perfectly well what a real king was, and the difference between a yacht and a man-of-war, a

rtance to tell you,' Logo

traying surprise by letting her li

ed. 'I desire knowl

member the rich man Van Torp, for whom I gave you a lett

er him well. He knows where the man is whom I seek, and he wrote the address

at shall you say to

e. Through me you are a rich, great man. The rubies are my marriage portion

gotheti answered. 'But

ka, as quietly as if she were say

of that country may take yo

,' the girl answered, wi

you seek is not in that country. Van Torp has telegraphed me that he is much nearer. N

ot to betray surprise at anything he said; she turned to hi

take me I will go alone with Spiro. I have been in many countries wit

im,' said Logotheti, and she

can I do, if I do not kill him?' She a

e the rubies and the money with you, a

that any strong thief might have taken from me? Is the danger nothing? The travel nothing? Is it nothing that I have gone about like a shameless one, with my face uncovered, dressed in a man's clothes? That I have cut my hair, my beautiful black hair, is that as nothing too? That I have been in an English prison? That I have been called a thief? I have suffered all these things to find him, and if I come to him at last, and he will not be my husband, shall he live an

line features wore a look

i, smiling, 'I would not tell

bondmen and bondwomen, whom he beats when it pleases him, and can put to death if he likes. He also knows the mine of rubies, as his father did before him, and when he desires gold he takes one to Tashkent, or even to Samarkand, a long journey, and sells it to the Russia

rcely dare to say above her breath in these democratic days; and he watched the noble little features, and the small white hands, that had com

d or two and half a myth, he could almost make himself a far descendant of the Tyndarid?. But what was that compared with the pedigree of the little thing in a blue serge froc

not told me that your father was a great man, and that his sires

s against the top of the deck chair, as if she were drawing herself up with pride. Also, not being used to European skirts, she stuck out one tiny foot a little further across the o

ted, and she made a concession. 'If you will take me to him,

e sure that Spiro would never kill anybody. 'If you will take an oath which I sh

of resignation. 'When he is dead, Spiro can a

ty,' observed the G

yself because then I should go to hell-fire, but Spir

The eyes of Baraka are like the pools of paradise, when the moon rose upon them the first time, her waist is as sle

rrupted him wit

and the Prophet, and the Angel Israfil to witness that I will keep my word? Shall I prick my hand and

before there were Christians or Musulmans in t

any words you like. Is

emselves. I shall give it to you slowly, and you must try to pronounce it rig

id Baraka, doing

tes to Hera in the Iliad, and Baraka repeated

l-nourishing earth, the other on the sparkling sea, that all the gods below

y the importance of the words she did not understand th

but what is done is done,

r left side and felt the long ste

said Logotheti solemnly. 'A man would rather kill pigs o

d. Only take me quic

w on it, and a quartermaster answered the call, and

ner. 'The sea is as flat as a board, and we will land there. Yo

could coal at Gibr

ples, please, and wa

anging her course, for the afternoon sun was all at once pouring in on the deck

's gaze than if he had not existed. No people in the world can remain perfec

aret Donne, had he seen any woman or young girl who appealed to his sense of beauty as Baraka did, th

ginal, high-bred; delicately modelled for grace and speed rather than for reposeful beauty, for motion rather than for rest. It was true that the singer's walk was something to dream of and write verses about, but Baraka's swift-glid

head without lifting it from

again,' she said gravel

and what will you dr

and shook

fig-paste, and I desire a sherbet made with rose leaves, such as the merchant's wife and I used to drink at the Kaffedji's by th

heti

ere are many in my ship, waiting to be eaten. There is also fig-paste from the Stamboul confectioner near the end of the Galata Bridge, and preserved rose lea

d the slim thing in blue serge, with

ave a table set here between us,

eal coffee? Not the thin

e, in a rea

er small white h

reat man!' she cried. 'Y

de, Logotheti's Greek steward appeared

apped your hands,' Logot

laughed

The smile faded quickly and her dark lashes drooped. 'It is a pity,' she ad

des, his master was already ordering an unusual luncheon, in Greek, which disturbed even

ging a low round table which he placed between the two chairs. He disappeared again and returned immediately with a salver on which there were

the light hot foam of the coffee, and then began to drink s

re the coffee is sold to the Indian princes. The unripe and broken beans that are left are sold to the great Pashas in Constantinople! And that is all ther

who could quote Asiatic proverbs by the dozen, when he liked. 'But the doors of Hades stand always open,' he ad

which interested her more tha

id, 'but in Stamboul even a poor

he fountain for nothin

aste, to which she was looking forward. And the yacht moved on at her leisurely twelve-knot speed, through the flat calm of the late summer

offee, but none of these things in any excess, that perfect peace came upon her which none but Asiatics can feel, and which we cannot understan

it, though he had never really felt it himself, and he knew very well that its presence has the power to deaden all purpose and active will in those who enjoy it. The sole object of taking opium is to

years, was temporarily paralysed for any purpose of action by the atmosphere with which he was surrounding her. She would come to herself again, and be as much awake, as determ

ar, and he began to count days and calculate dates; for when he had expected to go to Bayreuth with

to reach Versailles and rest from the journey before she would wish to see him; and as he thought she had treated him rather badly in not letting him go with her, because he was not enough of a Wagnerian,

self that the more Margaret saw of the American, the more anxious she would be to see he

not at all made up his mind what to do with her, and it would probably end in his taking her to his own house. Margaret would have some right to resent that; but as for the trip in the yacht, she need never know anything about it. The girl was really as safe with him as any girl could be with her own brother, and so long as no one knew that she was with him, nothing else mattered. Furthermore, he was good enough to be convinc

not aware that the yacht changed her course again, though it was pleasant not to have the reflexion from the sea in her eyes any longer; if Logotheti had told her that he was heading

ills, the broad pastures below, the vastness of Altai above, the uncounted flocks, the distant moving herds, the evening sunlight on the walls of her father's house; or that she lived over again those mortal hours of

ood still in the lazy enchantment-the yacht was not moving, the sun was not sinking westwards, her pulse was not beatin

t; perhaps it was six o'clock alla Franca, as she would have called it; no one could understand European time, which was one in Constantinople, another in Paris, and another in England. Besides

ce?' she asked lazily, and sh

red gravely, and he lai

and it changed his expression. He no longer looked in the least like a European. The handsome red felt glowed like blood in the evening light, and the long black silk tassel hung backwards with a dashing air. There was something about him that reminded Baraka of Sa?d, and

be there to-morrow? or the next day? I see no

is no land near. Perhaps, far o

' Baraka began to b

ou must have patience. Al

ore tired than I ever was when I was a child, and used to climb up the foot-hills to see Altai better. I

lah knows. I said so just now. But I will tel

lis

ter all your weariness, and the man you seek will

ed, growing earnest at once. 'Perhaps he has a

, I am the master, not only because it is mine, and because I choose to command, but because the men are bound by English law to obey me; and if they should refuse and overpower me, and take my ship where I did not wish to go, the laws of all nations would give me the right to put them all into prison at

am not bound to obey you, and at least I can beg

Tartar girl, and very young and slim, she was a woman. Eve had not had long

ered her smile

. If we had gone on as we were going, we should have got to land to-night, but to a wretched little town from which we shoul

ip, once, twice, till I cannot sleep any

do. To that end I gave

as well as grea

te tennis-shoes, which had turned a golden pink in the evening reflexions, and she thoughtfully settled her serge skirt

not often that the Atlantic Ocean is in such a heavenly temper so near the

always so sti

te foam, under the yacht's side, to the deep violet beyond, and further to th

even in summer, and that Allah had doubtless sent th

ere there are English people,' she obse

en speak tolerably; and when the first voice observed rather drily that Margaret would surely think that he ought to feel very miserable, the second voice told him to take the goods the gods sent him and be grateful; and this little antiphone of Ormuzd and Ahriman went on for some time, till it occurred to him to stop the duo by explaining to Baraka how a European gi

en men and women dancing together, both Russians in Samarkand and other people

s you say, where there are Englishmen, Allah does nothing; the

ng my people she would be stoned to death and not buried. My people will never know what I

r death! I can understand that you should dream of killing him, and he deserves to be bur

and stronger than you are. Do you not see why I want him for a husband? Why did he not desire me for his wife? Am I crooked, am I blinded by the smallpox, or have I six fingers on both hands and a hump on my shoulder like the Witch of Altai

face critically as she stood still and faced him. 'I was telling you what I though

t unveiled and any man may see me. What would they say in the street if they saw me now, as a woman? That is wh

rank? Or as they spea

speak, I pray. Bu

the Great Garden in London and I met you by the bank of the river, I should say that you were the prettiest dark girl i

bled, and she looked i

for it was always the same-the difference was three buttons-or four buttons, or a high hat or a little hat; not much. Also the Feringhi men button their garments as the Musu

ver noticed the rather singular fact wh

these things for myself; alone, I cannot take them off. When I was like a man, buttons! Two, three, four, twenty-what did it matter? All the same way and soon done! But now, I cannot tell what I am made of. Allah knows and sees what I am made of. Hooks, eyes, strings, little bits one way, little bits the other way, like the rigging of s

unctuated her explanations with small gestures

s before you go to meet the man. It would also be better to let your hair grow long be

s, only so long! I will spend a thousand pounds or two-is

s for a thousand pounds, even

a lau

and the old woman servant I hired there, till we got to Tiflis; for the Persian merchants everywhere gave me letters from one to another, and their wives took me in, or I should have been robbed. That is how I reached Stamboul after many, many months, more than a year. The Persian merchants are good men. All fear them, because they are wise in their dealings, but they are honest men. They do not lie, but they are silent and shake their heads, and you must guess what they

said Logotheti gravely, 'ce

will go to Paris, and you shall take me to all the rich

if his friends met him piloting a lovely barbarian about between the smartest line

leisurely three-quarters speed the engines ran noiselessly and the twin screws turned well below the water-line in the flat calm. The watch below was at supper, and the captain was just then working a sunset

nople she had never gone with her face uncovered, except for a short time, of necessity, after she had begun her long journey, almost without clothes to cover her, not to speak of a veil. But the sensation of being screened from men's sight ca

ces by his fellows. Reams of trash have been written about the inferior position of women in the East; but there, more than anywhere else in the world, they rule and have their will. Their

been watching her, and the effect of the improvised yashmak was sudden and striking. He made the Orie

said, as if he were greeting a Turkish

after a moment she went on, and her voice had changed. 'It is lik

glow. In all his recollections of many seas, Logotheti did not remember such a clear and peaceful evening; there was a spell on the ocean, and it was not the sullen, disquieting calm that often com

y-made French dress was open at her ivory neck, and the skirt fitted so closely that she almost fancied herself in man's clothes again. But on her head she would only wear the large veil, confined by a bit of gold cord, and she drew one fold under her chin,

dined o