Page:Marion Crawford - Khaled.djvu/131

 oaths and asseverations in her own language, which Zehowah could not understand.

'If you will tell me how you did it, I will give you a rich gift,' Zehowah continued.

But so much the more Almasta cried out, stretching her hands upwards and speaking incomprehensible words. So Zehowah waited until she became quiet again.

'It may be that Khaled will marry you, if you will tell me your secret,' Zehowah said, after a time.

Then Almasta's cheek burned and she bent down her eyes.

'Will you tell me how to kill a man and leave no trace?' asked Zehowah, still pressing her. 'Look at this pearl. Is it not beautiful? See how well it looks upon your hair. It is as the leaf of a white rose upon a river of red gold. And on your neck—you cannot see it yourself—it is like the full moon hanging upon a milky cloud. Khaled would give you many pearls like this, if he married you. Will you not tell me?'

'Whom do you wish to kill?' Almasta asked, very suddenly. But Zehowah was unmoved.

'It may be that I have a private enemy,' she said. 'Perhaps there is one who disturbs me, against whom I plot in the night, but can find no way of ridding myself of him. A woman might give much to destroy such a one.'