Page:Doughty--Mirrikh or A woman from Mars.djvu/9

 gentleman of Calcutta, half European, half Oriental. But for the somewhat exaggerated white turban which covered  his head, there was nothing about his apparel which need  have attracted attention in the streets of Panompin or any  other city in the East, save in one particular—the whole  lower portion of his face, from the nose down, was concealed behind a black silk covering that extended high up on  the cheeks, being secured by cords passing around the ears. The cloth did not cover the ears, but fitted close beneath them; it also passed completely around the neck, concealing it from view, which left only the upper part of the face  visible. This was yellowish—not yellow as a Chinaman’s face is yellow, but more like a Cuban’s, or Spanish American’s. The eyes were small, black and piercing, yet mild and full of intelligence. Certainly there was nothing disagreeable about the face—what was to be seen of it, at least—rather the reverse.

I was puzzled. Women with partially veiled features are no novelty to an old traveller like myself; but a man—well,  here was something I had never seen before.

But my interest in this mysterious individual was not long enduring. In a moment or two I had dismissed him from my thoughts with the conclusion that he probably had excellent reasons for covering the lower part of his face. “Some dreadful disfigurement,” I reflected, for such things are common enough in the East; and I sauntered on.

My mind was in that peculiar frame which often seizes us after some great calamity. We know that the worst has happened; we comprehend that the long anticipated has at  length been realized; that we are upon the other side of the  mountain of awful possibilities conjured up during weeks,  months, years, perhaps, of anxious expectation, and we say  to ourselves that it is all over, it cannot be changed; if there  is no hope at least no cause for further anxiety exists. There are states when the over-taxed brain demands rest and will have it. I was in such a state just then.

Positively I could not think connectedly for five minutes upon any subject without that sensation of tightness above  the eyes which tired brain-workers know so well. Even to speculate upon the mystery of that covered face made my  head ache, and I therefore dismissed the subject abruptly  and turned my attention to the shop windows again, wandering on through the crowd until I found myself at last in the