Men must obey the laws, and humbly submit to
them; and this you have not done, ye rebels! Why have you followed
the sheik and the ulemas? You see they must bow down in the dust,
after all; and, unless you pay the tax demanded by the tschorbadji,
they shall die."
"Listen, ye men of Praousta, listen!" cried a loud voice from one of
the windows of the palace.
There stood Cousrouf Pacha, beckoning to the fishermen with his
uplifted hand.
"Come into the palace; I wish to speak with you.--Make free the
passage, ye soldiers! In the name of the tschorbadji, command you to
allow these men to enter!"
With a loud shout the men rushed toward the door, and the body-guard
stepped aside, and left the passage free.
Mohammed's glittering eyes followed them, and he suddenly turned
pale, for Masa's lovely form now appeared on the threshold of the
palace. A cry resounded from his lips. He stood helpless and
motionless with anger and humiliation. It was now clear to him. She,
who had sworn to love, who had sworn by her father's spirit that no
man but he should ever raise her veil, had proved unfaithful. She
had broken her sacred oath! She, whom he now loved with his whole
heart and soul, had blasted his hopes. The thought almost stopped
the beating of his heart. "Masa shall repent! Mohammed will wreak
vengeance upon humanity for her broken faith."
He trembled, and pressed his lips firmly together, when her white
figure appeared in the doorway.
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