Mohammed Ali and His House

housand brave soldiers, among them the Albanian corps, the best troops of the Turkish army, are under the command of th

oes not prove strong enough to vanquish the Mamelukes unaided; if this should prove to be

all possible speed. The latter is a day's march in advance, and when his messengers reach Mohammed it will already be too late; the battle will have been lost and a new one will have to be fought with the elated victors. All this passes through Mohammed's mind as he sits there in the

ithout any difficulty. As was customary, two sentinels stood in front of the general's tent. When all had gone to rest, Mohammed stepped out of his tent, and told the sentinels to lie down and go to sleep. What need of

was soon absorbed in thought. He lay there gazing out into the night, considering the vic

Youssouf Bey is defeated, Mohammed will have to march to his assistance with all possible speed, and will, nevertheless, arrive too late, when the battle is already lost. Then a new battle will have to be fought, and the Mamelukes, elated

at can

y hands to his task with ruder touch; will it do to substitute stern words for soft flattery? H

is open. No one sees a dark shadow flitting across the desert toward the tents. Now it halts near that of the

before the tent; and now something glitters

some savage beast prowling ne

s of an animal, but of a human being who now

enses have become gradually confused, and he, too, now sleeps, dreaming of the viceroy,

inst the canvas of the tent. Yet he sees nothing, and all is still. It is only a dream. He c

then glide like the noiseless serpent to the mat where Mohammed slept. They could have prevented this spectre from so quickly and noiselessly binding his

ead to hear the words: "Fear not, your l

th about his head, and that he can utter no cry or word; he

e. "Thus am I to die, an object of

d must die unavenged! It is again Cousrouf Pacha who causes him to be bound and borne out. "Whither? whither? I ask! Do I not already know? Out to the Nile that glittered in the sunlight before me a few hours since. Oh,

rms and borne out into the night. He feels the quick breathing of him in whos

How light the viceroy's army will be, when the heavy a

vors to cry out, to release his hands; he is s

t Mohammed can understand nothing. He only hears another voice

urely until our master, Osman Bey Bardissi, comes to speak with him! Guard him well, for you must know, my daughter, that,

ice of a woman. "I shall guard him as though he were my

ring you rich spoils in two days, and Osman Bey has promised to reward me well for my work. Hold him fas

on the point of being hurled from his high seat, he feels himself grasped and placed in an easier position on his cushion by two arms, and then on they move again at a swift trot. He feels that they are riding through the desert. The camel's feet sink deep into the sand, an

y, bound and gagged, your face covered. I should like to relieve you by remo

y, and she feels the movement in

curely to the palanquin; she then unties the knot binding the cloth that envelops his head and passes over his mouth. The cloth falls down and Mohammed breathes freer and looks up. It is a clear, starry night, and Butheita's eyes are accustomed to darkness, and s

young! I supposed my father had brought me an old gray-beard, and it had distressed me to torment you so,

mel's feet imparts a golden lustre to the atmosphere; the appearance of the horizon also announces that the rosy dawn is about to contend with the starry

put the sarechsme to shame; but to be the prisoner of a houri of paradise

ike music from your lips; such sweet words I never heard before. You speak as the scha-er sings, who

," murmured he. "Oh, tell me, Butheita, where are w

om taking part in the great battle to-morrow. Yes, I know they fear you, for you are a hero. Now, I know how a hero must look, for you are a hero, and your eyes are as might

th which he had vainly tormented himself; he had hesitated, now he feels that he has advanced a step farther toward his aim. Now he knows what he has to do; Fate has pointed out the roa

by the rosy light of the morning sun; she is struck with the tone of his voice

d again displaying her beautiful tee

forever, Butheita; it is heavenly

et!" said she. And yet, as he attempts to lay his head closer to h

and I wish you to be my guest. And, that you may see that Butheita is sensible of

of the saddle, and with delight Mohammed sees her peel t

; eat, and ref

bound, and that he cannot t

aid he. "As my hands are bound, you must hold it to my lips yourself.

s sweet play, and Mohammed forgets all else. This night, minutes have been as hours to him, and now he would have them become eternities. Lovely is this child of the desert that bends down over him; a whole world of maidenly puri

by the rosy light of the morning sun; she is struck with the tone of his voice

d again displaying her beautiful tee

forever, Butheita; it is heavenly

et!" said she. And yet, as he attempts to lay his head closer to h

and I wish you to be my guest. And, that you may see that Butheita is sensible of

of the saddle, and with delight Mohammed sees her peel t

; eat, and ref

bound, and that he cannot t

aid he. "As my hands are bound, you must hold it to my lips yourself.

his night, minutes have been as hours to him, and now he would have them become eternities. Lovely is this child of the desert that bends down over him; a whole world of maidenly purity and sweetness permitted to wander freely through the desert, and not cooped up in the sec

ordinary human being. I should not like to see you when you lo

h her.' I, however, hold myself aloof from them, and do not listen to what they say, else my father would become angry, and would deprive me of my liberty to roam about as I please. And now you know all, stranger, and know why I may not kiss you, though I would gladly do something to please the poor prisone

mity of the human mind appeared to speak to him. What majestic thought was reflected in that massive forehead? The eloquent mouth seemed to announce the grand mystery of the universe. The whole mighty countenance seemed to contain a heaven of sublime peace, and to be radiant with a happiness unknown to the human breas

has looked calmly down upon generation after generation, upon men of every faith and religion, and has seen them pass away. Heathens have become Christians, Jews, Mohammedans, and the latter in their tu

s of years, and before whom kings and emperors prostrate themselves to this day. Thus spoke the scha-er whom I heard when with my father in Tantah

erious tones. The animal understands her, and sinks gravely upon its knees. Butheita bounds down from he

upon the lovely girlish figure that skips lightly across the sand to the foot of the godlik

oats; and finally also for the stranger whom she is about to lead to her tent. "Grant, 0 Allah, that I may be mild, and that he may not feel his fetters too severely

he illimitable, unfathomable eyes of the sphinx, that gaze out upon the whole world. Then she rises and smilingly salutes once

rt, and from time to time she casts a timid glance at the prisoner, who lies bound before her. The dromedary moves on at a uniform sp

ts to some towering objects defined s

re almost at our journey's end. There lies the village of Petresin. Its inhabitants still sleep, and the doors of the huts are closed: they do not see us. That is well, th

speed. Like an arrow they flew across the sand until they had reached her father's

threshold of our tent, Butheita bids you welc

hat she is doing lifts him in her arms. Lightly, as though he were a plaything, she bea

efresh yourself with repose after your long r

and night. Forgotten are the past and future; he now lives for the present only. May the sun mercifully stand still, and this hour prove an eternity! Why occupy

and how would my soldiers laugh to see the sarechsme, Mohamme

tment and heard his words. She quickly went to him,

eemed; he is the first man of the village. O sarechsme, the Bedouins call him their father, their protector, and the Mamelukes are proud of his friendship; and it was out

consider, is it not hard and shameful for me, a m

tfully. "It pains me to the soul, not to be able to lessen your misery, to impr

rt. Remain with me till your father comes. While listening I shall forget all shame and disgrace, and rejoice only in your presence. It woul

hunger and thirst if I remained here, and it would be shameful, too, if I should neglect the duty of hospitality toward my guest. But I will tell you what I can and will do! You shall not lie there bound. I will not hav

t her in a

man's promises that you believe I

ather has often said to me: 'When a man has given his word he keeps it, though the con

truly brave man, Buthe

"to feel in the depths of one's heart that you are a man, and no coward. Give m

ur father comes and says that I may, and states the conditions. I will, if you will permit me, remain with you in the mean while, and do nothing but look at y

blushingly, and untied the cords that bound h

nt, and extended his arms. He would gladly have clasped the girl in their embrace, but, with the grace and e

e your freedom, you are no

e me! I submit to the will of the desert queen; I am your slav

black eyes gazed at him with a soft expressio

they are talkative and quarrelsome, vain and lazy, too, and he has had enough of them. Twelve wives has he brought to his tent, one after the other, but after a short time he sent every one of them home to her father. I am the daughter of his first wife, and my father loves me more than he has ever loved any of them; and

iable will the man be who shall some day

uch man. It is with me as with my father; he loves only me, and

" replied Mohammed, looking deeply into her eyes.

deeply, quite unlike a child of the desert, but after the fashion

ng to prepare

before him with her large soft eyes, and sweet smile; and Masa's image is strangely interwoven with that of the Bedouin-child, Butheita. The two fair forms were blended, and it did not displease him. Yet another face is there. It regards him with a grave yet kindly expression. It is not the face of a young girl; sweet and youthful fresh ness and love are not in its features, a

im, never for get her, the mother of his children. Years pass rapidly, but a man's heart does not grow

possesses ; the beautiful house and furniture given him by Cousrouf Pacha. He would make her his wife, cost what it might. "I thank yo

t she has to set before her guest, the beautiful dates and bananas, the black bread, the butter,

poor Butheita has to offer you. Pray take the bread and break it; and let us

t, and then sit down beside each other, and refresh themselves with Butheita's daintily arranged fruits and goat's milk. Bu

ng with Nature in innocence and joyousness, for to him Butheita's fair form now represents Nature. It is not indeed Nature itself that charms him, but Nature's fair d

t will his fate be in that case? will not the defeated enemy avenge themselves cruelly on him? But if, on the other hand, Youssouf has been routed and put to flight, then woe to you alike, Mohammed! Youssouf will then complain of him to Cousrouf Pacha, and he will be accused of treason-yes, of treason, if he does not con

begs her to pay no attention to him, and not to allow herself to be disturbed in her household occupat

well you are a proud man, and it does not seem proper to you to be alone with a Bedouin's daughter long. I can not prevent it; forg

estly. "I am your prisoner, your slave.

rown countenance. With a joyous nod of