Page:The Mating of the Blades.djvu/209

 me the tent of thy hospitality. We have eaten salt and bread together. Thus I shall tell thee!”

“What?”

“About Aziza Nurmahal. She heard of thy one-time boast, that thou wouldst make her a captive to thy bow and spear and marry her, with or against her will. And she said to a slave who is a friend of a dancing girl whom I know well—alas! too well!”—he sighed—“she said that she loves a bold man, a careless man, a free man who takes by force what his passion and love desires. And—thou …” He slurred, stopped, and went on; “If I were thou, I would cut the saheb's throat. But then I am an impulsive man, a man who plunges into the pool of life negligent of its black, frowning depths, a foolish man who always plays the game of his undoing—and not, as thou art, a wise man, a careful counter of gold and silver and other loot!”

And, late that night, he sent a trusted slave up the Darb-i-Sultani, who arrived at the palace of Tamerlanistan three days later, with the metaphorical message to Al Nakia:

“Good!” cried Gulabian, after Hector had told him the message.

“Good!” croaked the old nurse.

“Good indeed!” echoed Aziza Nurmahal.

But Hector shook his head. It was the latter part