Page:A child of the Orient (IA childoforient00vakarich).pdf/207

 had the inherent hatred of the Greeks for that word. But I wanted to make my own marriage.

I considered for some time, before returning to Constantinople. I seriously contemplated disobeying the maternal summons and escaping to America; for America always rose up in my dreams as the land of salvation. Ultimately, I knew that I must go there, if I were to earn my own living; but I decided to return to Constantinople. The longing to see it again was strong upon me, and besides my brother happened to be there at this time; and as long as he was there I hoped that I should not be handed over, like bargain counter goods, to any man.

"Ashadnan na Mahomet Rasoul Allah! Bismallah! Allah-hu-akbar!"

These were the words chanted, from a minaret near by, in the shrill sweet voice of a young muezzin, as I emerged from my compartment of the Oriental Express, in Constantinople, two days later.

My soul answered to this call of the East. I felt as if I should like to throw myself on a prayer-*rug, face Mecca, and cry with the young muezzin, "Allah-hu-akbar!"

I had left the West behind—I was again in the East, the enchanting, poetical East.

This feeling was strengthened when, on reaching my hotel, I found a letter from my mother