"Spared my presence!" cries Mohammed Ali. "Consider, highness, that
I alone am to amuse and entertain you. With me alone can you
converse, and recall fond recollections of the past, and I shall
therefore not fail to wait on your highness right often. And now,
highness, ride in advance and enter the palace first, as the master
should."
He draws rein as they reach the gateway, and gives the ass on which
Cousrouf is mounted a blow with the flat of his sword, that causes
it to rush into the court-yard with a succession of quick bounds.
The soldiers standing around laugh loudly. And this laughter makes
Cousrouf's cheeks red with shame, and sends tears to his eyes, tears
of rage.
Several of Ismail Bey's Mamelukes now approach, and lift Cousrouf
from the saddle and lead him into the house. Mohammed seems to have
forgotten him; let Ismail Bey take care of him. To him Mohammed
intrusts the keeping of his prisoner.
"He belongs to me, Ismail, to me alone; I only intrust my prisoner
to you for safe keeping."
He is conducted to the upper chambers of the citadel; there let his
thoughts prey on the memory of her he murdered, and of him who
avenges her!
The houses of Cairo are adorned with carpets and flowers, and
laughter and merry-making are the order of the day.
The house of Mourad's widow also shows signs of life with-in, to-
day. Sitta Nefysseh has returned to her home after a long sojourn in
the house of Sheik Sadat.
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