'"
"Such were your words, Osman Bey Bardissi," replied Mohammed, his
voice tremulous with anger, "and now I have received a proof of your
friendship! You have had me snared like a wild beast, and abducted
from my camp and my soldiers, to become a laughing-stock for them
and an object of derision for your people."
Bardissi shook his head quietly. "You are in error, Mohammed Ali;
none of my men know what has occurred, nor do I believe that yours
do. No one shall ever learn, I swear it by Allah, where the
sarechsme, Mohammed Ali, has passed this night, or by whom he was
abducted. No, no one shall ever learn it! You can rest assured,
Sheik Arnhyn is not the man to babble like a woman when he should
hold his peace, and Butheita is his obedient daughter. This matter
shall be kept to ourselves. We meet to-day for the third time, and
do you know why, Mohammed Ali? I caused you to be abducted because I
promised you friendship. I did not wish to confront you as an enemy;
against my wish a bullet might have chanced to strike you; and, I
know not how it is, but I feel drawn to you, I feel a desire to be
your friend. I wish to fight at your side, and not against you. We
two, O Mohammed--we two, united--could make our land happy, great,
and free, I feel assured. I read this in your countenance when we
met on the ship. A voice seemed to whisper in my heart: 'He can
assist you, he must be your friend!' Your eye glittered as I have
seen but one other glitter; a proud consciousness of power was
expressed in your features, such as I have seen in those of but one
other man, and to this day I regret that he was our enemy, and that
he has left us.
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