"Farewell, Youssouf Bey! I tell you, you may sometimes come, but
farewell for the present."
She turns, and, without looking at him again, goes into the other
room, where her women are awaiting her. With a quick movement she
draws the curtain over the door; she knows that no one must see him
at this moment; she knows he will fall on his knees and kiss the
place where she stood. Yes, she knows this, for she loves him, and
understands his heart.
And she is right! He has fallen on his knees, and, again and again,
kisses the spot where she stood. Then he stretches out his arms and
opens his lips to utter a sweet word. Yet, he does not pronounce it,
for, if what he thinks be true, the air itself may not hear it! No,
his lips utter no word! He only kisses the air she has breathed. And
now can he go, for she has said that he may return!
He turns and leaves the house; his soldiers have never seen their
kachef's countenance so radiant as now. He mounts his horse, and
gallops off through the streets, followed by his Mamelukes.
Sitta Nefysseh hears his horse's hoofs ring out against the
pavement, and, like him, she sinks down upon her knees, and
stretches out her arms. "Youssouf, I love you! Allah be praised, I
have seen you again!"
CHAPTER XI
MOHAMMED ALI AND BARDISSI.
Sitta Nefysseh was right: peace had not entered Cairo with the
victorious troops.
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