The Sea-Hawk

ostling, noisy crowd that at every moment was being swelled by the human streams

ned; and there were Tagareenes, the banished Moors of Andalusia, most of whom followed the trade of slave-dealers; there were native Jews in sombre black djellabas, and Christian-Jews-so-called because bred in Christian countries, whose garments they still wore; there were Levantine Turks, splendid of dress and arrogant of demeanour, and there were humble Cololies, Kabyles and Biscaries. Here a water-seller, laden with his goatskin vessel, tinkled his little bell; there an orange-hawker, balancing a basket of the golden fruit upon his ragged turban, bawled his wa

rangular space of bare, dry ground, enclosed by dust-coloured walls, there was more space. The sale of slaves had not yet begun and was not due to begin for another hour, and meanwhile a little trading was being done by

llaba, his head swathed in a coloured kerchief. Upon his knees reposed a broad, shallow black box, divided into compartments, each filled with lesser gems and rare stones,

air; from behind it proceeded a subdued murmur of human voices. These were the pens in which were confined the slaves

, flanked by a spear-like minaret and the tall heads of a few

e was a commotion. From one of the streets

Warda! Way!

nd with these they broke a path through that motley press, hurli

the Lord Asad-ed-Din, th

ad-ed-Din on a milk-white mule rode forward, escorted by Tsamanni his

of his negroes were suddenly silenced; in

homet upon thee! Allah send thee more victories!" were the benedictions that showered up

here he bade Tsamanni fling a purse to the crouching beggars-for is it not written in the Most Perspicuous Book that of alms ye shall bestow what ye ca

assed on foot into the s?k. He came to a halt by the well, and, facing the c

captives. At a sign from Ali, the negroes flung aside the camel-hair curtains and let the fierce sunlight beat in upon those pent-up wre

ess dejection of their countenances alone was there any uniformity. But it was not a dejection that could awaken pity in the pious heart of Asad. They were unbelievers who would never look upon the face of God's Prophet, accursed and unworthy of any tenderness from man. For a moment his glance was held by a lovely black-haired Spanish girl, who sat with her locked hands held

yet beheld. She was tall and graceful as a cypress-tree; her skin was white as milk, her eyes two darkest sapphires, her head of a coppery golden that seemed

pearl is this that hath been ca

er, and insensible though she had deemed herself by now, he saw her cheeks slowly reddening under the cold insult

th," said the

atever might await her. A golden-haired young man beside her, his face haggard and stubbled with a beard of some growth, looked up in alar

he bad faith which she was forever urging against the corsair leader. He beheld the woman, but he discovered about her no such signs as Fenzileh had suggested he must find, nor indeed did he look for a

er arm, and she drew it back a

llah, that He should suffer so luscious a fru

cophant profoundly learned in the art of pl

the Prophet's House may pluck it. Veri

ead that the daughters of the infidel are n

the Basha would like to be answered

hath befallen once may w

yes flashed a gla

the mercy of Allah, I was rendered

spired in the other where Asad was concerned. Were Fenzileh removed the wazeer's influence must grow and spread to his own profit. It was a thing of which he had often dreamed, but a dream he feared that was never like to be realized, for Asad was ageing, and the fires that had

ndly, his gleaming eyes considering her what time she stood immovable before him. Suddenly he

red to a thousand eye

een so before,"

ice that was naturally soft and musical of

man may

before them, escorted by Marzak. A little behind them were the eunuchs and the litter in which, u

ion him in this peremptory fashion before all the world was more than his dignity could suffer. Never yet had she dared so much nor would she have dared it now but that her sudden anxiety had effaced all caution from her mind. She had seen the look with which Asad had been considering that lovely

w, for although her face was veiled there was hardy arrogance in

he said. "I vow it was scarce worth so long a voyage and the endangering so many valuable

at down his anger.

e. "Already have I observed thee to grow hard of hearing, and now thy sight is failing too, it seems. As

ways," he muttered, so that none but those immediately about overheard his angry words. "Thou art become a ve

slave to her place among the others. Leaning on the arm of Tsamanni he too

all, "and get thee to the house as becomes a seemly Muslim woman.

with Tsamanni until her litter had passed out, escorted by Ayoub and Marzak wal

ter that litter, a sn

e for a Member of the Prophet's House. It were perhaps a pleasing thing in the sight of Allah that we replaced her." And then, refe

lithely and nobly as a young gazelle. Verily, so much beaut

me True-Believer?" wondered the subtle w

hat is. I am resolved. Stay thou here, Tsamanni. Remain for the outcry and purchase her. She shall be taught the Tru

the price, my lord?" he

thee purchase her? Bring her to me, t

echoed Tsamanni amaz

assed out under the arched gateay, where

rthcoming, and Tsamanni had no considerable sum upon his person. Therefore in the wake of his master he set out forthwith

issembled under fawning smiles and profound salaams included also her servants. There was none in all the world of whom he entert

ub, who indeed had by his mistress's commands been set to watch for the wazeer. The

samanni," was his courteous g

amanni. "In truth none that

ow? Doth it concern tha

trod was becoming insecure; it followed that if his mistress fell from in

d him. "Thy soft fat is all a-quivering; and well it

came the other's voice,

d will take her to wife, even as he took Fenzileh, that he may lead her into the True Belief and cheat Shaitan of so fair a jewel. Add that I am bidden to buy her t

ts," roared the eunuch, maddened at once by this ev

ghed, as he answered

s be sultans

d his alarm at what he had learnt, Ayoub rolled into

their bones and blacken their faces and rot their flesh with all the fervour of one born and bred in the True Faith. When she recovered from

ather's face. Sakr-el-Bahr will trample us into the dust." She checked on a sudden thought. "By Allah it may have been a part of his

ind and body with which this woman was endowed, the like of whi

ace this Frankish gi

ell though

id Tsamanni, or, better still, set someone else to do it for thee, and so buy the girl for me. The

g. "And... and the cost? Hast thou counted the cost, O Fenzil

e does, the girl being gone beyond recall, he shall submit him

ung his bunches of fat fingers

e, dog? What else is to be done, a man shall do. Come now, thou shalt have the money, all I have, which is a mat

m. And there would be profit in it, clearly-ay, and it would be sweet to outbid that dog Tsamanni and send him empty-ha