Page:Domestic Life in Palestine.pdf/405

398 "Yes." He answered, "Then she must needs trust you. Tell her, I pray you, how I wish to have her daughter for my wife—tell her all you can to make her have favorable thoughts of me—tell her I have a beautiful new house tell her that my wife shall live like a princess. If you do this business for me, I will be your slave forever. I am fierce to marry that girl. Speak also to her father, Saleh Bek. Call him here to play chess with you, but do not think of the game; think only how to win this girl for me. Saleh Bek will take your counsel."

When he had concluded his vehement appeal, and began soothing himself with his chibouque, I told him that I must consider before I could promise to speak in his behalf; but I undertook to ascertain for him whether Asmé had been already betrothed, or promised. I knew that one of my Moslem friends had at one time thought of asking for her, so I questioned him, and found that he had abandoned the project.

Shortly afterward I called at Saleh Bek's harem. It did not seem like the same place to me now that Helweh and my little Miriam had been sent away. The senior wife, the Turkish lady, however, received me very kindly, and her daughters were gentle and affectionate in their greetings. I ascertained, in course of conversation, that Asmé was betrothed to her young cousin, the son of Mohammed Bek Abdul Hady, of Arrabeh, and that the marriage would take place very shortly. The bridegroom was only sixteen.

On my return home I sent for Yassîn Agha to inform him of this, that he might at once abandon his project.