A Prince of Dreamers

n that shine

gold to see

those rays t

dust abou

iza

ain which barred the archway to the inner bathroom; but in the little balconied alcove at the end of the vestibule, where Aunt Rosebod

eir morning bathe in the women's screen at the big tank beneath tma Devi's house. Being of the frank old Chughtai type, they were hail-fellow-well-met with the all and sundry who came down to fill their pots o

heir scented paddlings; while as for the dressings to come, when, fresh from their baths, they all sate in the balconied vestibule to be perfumed, and manicured and massaged--Why! what with the drinking of cool sherbets or hot tea, scented, almost colourless, tasteless, save for the cinnamon flavouring it, these séances seemed unending. They were, however, amusing enoug

the court ladies, and the w

What? again!" when the African slave girl--whom the dear old lady had imported from Mekka as part of her piety--ingeniously roused her slumbering mistress by actually touchi

hair stirred like moon-ripples on wa

long now, and, mayhap, if I let her tongue start fair at a

he face, still charmingly pretty was curiously unmarred by fatness or flabbiness--the extremity of the modes in which the figure was dressed did not become the wearer. The graceful dual garment (almost diaphanous but for its exceeding fulness, cut to the ground at the sides, but literally yards long in fr

as one of the leaders of ladies' fashions, and the jewelled chatelaine at her waist held kohl caskets and rou

i-prostration, breathless but complacent, to meet the little old lady's keen eyes fixed

body pointing an accusing finge

ry latest fashion! One cannot, with respect to

tis not far distant, Az?z, if thou hast missed the way thither. Just through the door,

oor fat fashionable; "I have no desire

wash it off! Ooma! a basin of water. Let it be tepid lest the lady should receive a shock--and--and see it be duly scented with scent of flowers; something that w

y with the sort of reflex action which exists still in the women of her type--that is to say, hopelessly courtesan des

e's journey than they. Yet even in my youth"--her sparkling bright eyes roved contemptuously over the other's dress--"I did not clothe my

hward by Lady Umm Kulsum wh

body; "Lo! she will be giving

the giving of dates is the first step tow

rotest is quite a babe--no

and on the way thy child was born. Strange, surely, that such close touch on death as must have been thine ere thou and her father could

ve an affected

of welcome that the old tale would be revived. La! 'tis too vexing! I could cry; and my sweet poppet whom

ughing voice behind--"Not P

as the world shows but seldom; yet once having shown does not let men forget. For this small slender Eastern maid, comparabl

thrown over her in laughter at her utter nakedness as she had scrambled out of the bath, she showed at once innocent, yet full of guile. There was not one false note in

r, having recourse to her vinaigrette, while the

z?zan! That lets the c

and pillows, such giggles, such laughter, waxing loudest round Umm Kulsum who, ready dressed, caught the silver tissued maid-ling about the waist, and danc

e perfectly bewitching face, and

l?m, child?" she asked ac

made a moue of uncontrollable high spirits before

dy! Am I not betrothe

et loose an a

ever the like? Mihr-un-nissa how dare

inacy came to the girlish face and g

's mother have settled whether I be betrothed or no,

ight only induce the enfant terrible, of malicious intent, still further to

And without even a pilgrimage to thy cred

ther Jehannum on my own feet than Paradise on

's face grew crimson-dark; her eyes filled with

imperative smack on the marble floor. "I hate them--they think of nothing but themse

denly holding out her hand. The supple young thing crossed to her proudl

yes!" said the old woman. "

lustrous soft depths of Mihr-un-ni

murmured Auntie Rosebody to herself; but M

she asked eagerly. "Shall I be Quee

le room the imperious young voice seemed to linger. Then Umm Kulsum, se

hom we saw at the tank steps but now, and bade come hither, since she claimed to be the royal bard? She is

e from what had gone before, "I can tell the ladie

d her dignity. "Ooma! see if one tma, singer of pedigrees, soothsayer, heaven knows what, waits without. If so, bid her enter. And bring me

wilfully and deftly let out of the cupboard. In truth there was some excuse for such vaulting ambition in the child's extraordinary beauty. Pity she h

s, dreamers who drea

site cry which seemed indeed to force the

ress showing for an instant brilliant in the glimps

ing ladies. Something in tma's womanly face and figure that was in them also, disguised, tucked away, hidden out of sight but still recognisable made them recoil to silence. Perhaps it was t

drifted about the bazaars, giving her curious cry, she had watched at street corners, and listened patiently through the hurly-burly of passing voices for some hint, some sound. Without avail; and time was running short; she

ildren who had played together, grown up to be women? Why should

m, paused; her eyes in the darkness to which they were becoming acc

en rug; her slender arms were around her knees, her head was tilted back against the wall on which a flower garland

ut they two were in the room. "Lo! I am Mihr-un-nissa, Queen of Women

istent, compellent, seemed to have come into the atmosphere. Even Auntie Rosebody paus

the woman who strove to forget her sex in a man's work, th

kiya Begum's rasping voice, "but soothsayi

er of difficulties, "and they did it at the Holy City, for I paid seven golden as

nding laughter did not soft

gift of God in certain hands; but the looking at grains of rice and the counting of pease-pods is

eadship in the harem was interrupted hastily by a twitter

mu, 'twere better not ma

the garlanded wall, looked through her lashes, a

casually, as if her likings or dislikings were the only quest

whose status she knew, she was unaware of the position of the scented, languidly laughing ladies around

agic mirror after the fashion that a pious pilgrim of Ma

m? Lo! ladies! this is a chance indeed! and I, at the moment, in one of my-poor verses was using it as an allegory fo

. So the inkpot came and tma, her full red skirts billowing about her, sank to the ground opposite Mihr-un-nissa whose bare limbs, the colour of freshly garnered wheat overlai

! and hid

y world

God's Lig

God's

nk! Dr

r in

hts and bring t

urved surface like a dewdrop, on

refinger and complete the circle of magic by touching my right arm w

tightly. "Aye! it shall not stir," she said coolly. "I want to know

ling in a measure at bay. "The gracious maid must close her eyes. I, tma, will

laugh came sud

ed, turning to Bibi Az?zan, "even in the inmost he

an the fat fashi

and the little pool of ink in her palm waver

ried the latter; "I

's name had brought back the thought of Siyah Yamin. For the only clue of any sort which the two days of search h

he faintest of clues but the thought of it filled

found! Time was passing! The very ne

in! Siyah

hts--"I see, I see--what do I see? A crowd of banners waving. 'Tis a marriage processio

s voice full of passion. "Thou do

with a sudden bound, she stood confronting her, a tornado in silver tissue. "Lo! I was looking too, and I saw no

y, then laughing round defiantly

ut I did see her, Marmita, just as she

s shriek dro

yah Yamin! At--at thy house, Az?zan! This passes

y still suffered from lack of attire, and her veillessness showed her scanty hair screwed back tightly, ready for subsequent additions. Withal she had a certain digni

drum with one hand, and all the other five fingers are in the butter! No! No! Marry her fifty times

f. "And I say nothing. A wise man

onder, stood looking at the ink spots on the scarlet dress, un

Thou must have been thinking of her, for I saw

lose together, almost unobserved, the rest of the company being more interest

ed the little maiden stamping h

boon," she replied hurr

" echoed Mihr-un

ake this in exchange for me," she hastily wrenched off a thin silver band-bracelet all too small for the m

her unfathomable eyes full of malicious contempt. "So! there is a mystery! La! I love myst

on

les. "Then the bracelet means the message! What

wn slender wrist and turned away non