Page:Tales of Today.djvu/103

Rh remarking upon this tell-tale and significant signal, continued to soothe her new master with consoling words:

"What can I do to drive from your mind the dark thoughts by which it is haunted? Peradventure a little music might serve to dissipate that melancholy. I was taught the secrets of composition by an old slave who was an odalisque of the former sultan; I can improvise poetry and accompany myself upon the guzla."

So saying she took from the wall the guzla with its sounding-board of lemon-wood, its ivory keys and handle inlaid with mother-of-pearl and ebony, and with rare address performed upon it the tarabuca and some other Arab airs.

The purity of her voice and the sweetness of the music would have gladened Mahmoud-Ben-Ahmed at any other time, for he was extremely susceptible to the charm of poetry and harmony, but now his brain and heart were so full of the woman whom he had seen at Bedreddin's that he gave no attention to Leila's songs.

The next day was kinder to him than the preceding one had been, for he met Ayesha at Bedreddin's shop. To attempt to describe his joy would be a hopeless undertaking; only those who have loved are capable of understanding it. He remained for a moment speechless, breathless, seeing things dimly, as through a cloud. Ayesha, who perceived his emotion, was gratified by it and addressed him very affably, for there is nothing that so flatters the pride of those of noble birth as the disturbance that they cause. Mahmoud-Ben-Ahmed, once he was master of himself