The Hawk of Egypt

her still, The hol

ERI

Allah who is God be

stood with the silken curtain drawn back in one hand and the right raised in ble

ed when he felt the small hands upon his head and, leaping to hi

rangement of her perfumed silks and satins and many jewels. "It's

knew so little of him, had only had him for such a little, little while under the influence of her love and in the shelter of her heart, and she loved him, her firstborn, with a love beyond words. Thinki

have studied him," had said the Sheikh, all those

, and his love for her being beyond tellin

had been

me of the tragic mixing o

and talk, Mother

ist, to the roof they went, where the silken awnings

shing, silvery points, as the soft winds carried to them the

came with me to welcome you." And then she clasped her

ever-desired presence, I cannot have woman set foot in it without my consent. When

Mary is yo

t wise or seemly that she should run ab

Hugh

urned into day! Why, one has but to stretch the hand, for flowers to be laid therein; the feet trip at every step with the trap of woman's hair; the quarry stands waiting for the arrow; there is not even the incentive of the chase, the hot pursuit, the lust of the kill. I speak as my father's son, and in my house I will have p

ut

lapping of hands, a slave ran swiftly to learn his master's pleasure, then haste

thrumming of the gui

arble fret-work of the balustrade looking due east to where, so many miles away, flows the blue-gr

ed nothing of the hurt refle

rrived from Cairo, but which was really a volume of the Book of Life written, printed and published by Fate.

g, Hugh,-so s

er, a runner from Nubia came in this morning, so there may be something in it. God grant it, for the sport and the danger would be great, killing or being killed, in the rocks and ruins of the Te

ing the-the-middle one. Without asking permission, I went to inspect them. Just before your r

r spring-cleaning with a neighbour, instead of one of the wonders of modern Egypt.

us little feet tread on, Mater," he said, causing his mothe

eek and pulled a bit here and there at his fine white linen coat, upon which in coarse thread was embroider

her the full explanation of the hur

the man, so fearful was he of causing pain to the

ered the woman, who, wrapped in perfect love and happiness, had never given a thought to the far-reaching effects of her marri

understand. Listen-and, how I wish my father, whom I honour, were here to

den blinding flash of understanding and her prou

behold, the shade is that of tenderness. From the midst of the flood where I am like to drown, I stretch my arms towards the rocky shore where stands, looking towards me, the desire of my soul. Behold, my eyes have seen her, and, behold, she is white, with hair like t

ug

f whom I am the eldest son-son of a highborn fa

s sake, Hu

n, tearing the veil f

e East not for me, and the thorns upon the hedge of convention defied, the barbed wires of racial distin

s; across the waters, I may sun myself in the smiles of women as long as I have no desire to wed." He suddenly seized the woman, holding her in a grip of iron which left great bruises on her arms. "Do y

e silence, and then

alf-caste, Mother!

her head to the ground, and he swept her up into

y country, one hour on a hill-top in which to watch the pearl-gray dawn. Dearest, dearest, don't sob so. It is a case of two affirmatives making a negative; two great nationalities decried, derided, rendered null and void in their offspring through the dictates of those who, in religion, prate that we are all brothers. I have just got to stick it, my mo

een written, he knelt to re

my darling?" she asked, smiling so

; a bit further Nor

r l

dear. Bless me

to him as he stood at the h

ck to me

in the hands of A

ut and her beautiful eyes dim, took up the illustrated paper

said. "How

r in Cairo would celebrate her birthday in a week's time, that in honour of the occasion her god-mother, the Duchess of Longacres, had issue

re is a way out"-and she stretched her arms out towards the desert. "Hahmed!" she called, "Beloved, I love you, and my h

oms and the rank and file of the stables tore their beards or their hair as they endeavoured to please their master, whilst they waited anxious

druped had been put through its paces up

mare, whose price was above that of many rubies, trotted up at his call and snuffled a welcome in his sleeve, searched for sugar in his hand and found it, and whinnied gen

ewel amongst my horses? Hast thou not in all my stables one of the Al Hamsa, a descendant of the mares who found favour

in silence, watching the loveliest

tle head, with big, gentle eyes, spreading nostrils and fine small ears almost touchin

hbred, perfect, as proud as any queen, as scornful as any spoil

her, and then she wheeled, and flung up her heels; then stopped and looked at him al

she turned her back upon him and danced across towards the coal-black stallions, causing their grooms to hold on to them with both hands; then she came back to circle round about this man, who seemingly took no notice of her vagaries, not even when she reared just behind hi

ross the bare back and away with her into the desert, gripping her

r of prayer, he slipped from her and, turnin

lah of the East! Give me

stood quite still, with fine small ears pricked, waiting for the call she knew would come. And when it came ringing clear

ing their hoofs against the stones; and by those who make a sudden invasion on the enemy early in the morning and therein raise the dust, and

ered back across the path of sand, which was to be trodden by his feet alone, in spite of t