Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1884-03-07

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4 persistent voice was singing In my ear,
| like the refrain of . ballad J, 8 N issa Mis-
sal Naturally Z suffered all that night
from nightmare. z dreamed that some
one had given me an immense cat,
named Astoulla, which was trying to
tear my face! I walked at eleven the
next morning, completed disenchanted.
...5 II.
I'm the evening I was promenading
upon the terrace, in the rear OF my
house, when a horrible looking old Wom-
/ an suddenly entered from the lower
door. She wished to speak to me. Be-
fore the servant had time to ask nqe if /
were willing to see her she was at my
side. And when she had made sure
that we were alone:
"a'Are you brave?' she said in bro
ken English which I could hardly un-
derstand. s:
! II smiled with that se1f-conceitwhich
a man always feels when asked such a
question. She continued . .@5 7.
II came to propose to you walk. 1t
is night. No one can see us. You are
to follow me. When halfway I shall
blindfold you. but you must swear to
me not to attempt to find out where I
I'm leading YOU L.
II promised m
''She grinned in way that made her
still more hideons. T had agreed to her
proposition Just as I have told you, at
once impelled by an irresistible impulse.
The day, you see, had passed over my
fears, the effects OF the nightmare were
little by little fading away, and / heard
that persistent voice still singing in my
ear, s'Nissa Nissap The old woman ev-
identity came from her. hurried up
to my room and got small revolver.
Five minutes later we were on our.way. It
was mad absurd !; I confess it freely. But
there are follies about which one does
not stop to reason. Nissa, that unknown
woman, possessed over me some mys-
FERROUS. power. I had not even seen
her, and yet I madly longed to meet
her. Her fiery glance was burning my
heart. When we had come to the
Djoulffa bridge the old woman stopped
and took from her pocket thick hand
kerchief, which she proceeded very
deity to bind over her eyes. I could
|
hand, and allowed her to lead me. By
the increased GOODNESS Of the air I con-
jectured that we were crossing the riv-
er. Then / heard all about me the
voices of the promenaders. It did not
occur to me that they might notice us.
I was walking wholly absorbed in my
dream, thinking of the supple figure of
the young woman, of her little hand,
and her flashing eyes. Inaf few seconds
the old woman turned to the right, but
we were not quitting the banks of Zend-
Dehroud. / could hear its turbulent
rolling by and breaking for an instant
against the arches Of the bridge. At
last my guide paused, and a key grated
and in whisper she said:
@"Go up" .
give steps only, and then I felt that
my feet were pressing a soft, thick car
pet. At the same moment she removed
the bandage. found myself in small
room, dimly lighted by 8 copper lamp.
Ordinarily, in Persia, the walls are bare,
| but here it was very different. Incense
was burning in a richly chased perfum-
ing pan, resting upon table of red and
green mosaic, and filing the room with
those Oriental odors which intoxicate
one like the fragrance of old wine.
Against the walls, HING with yellow
cashmere, were musical instruments, the
nefr, which is Like our hautboy. kettle
drums, two kematches, a kind of viol,
and here and there arms in midst of pen
dent chains and necklaces. And below,
the dull and regular nlurmuring of the
river. By lifting little drspery from
the window I saw the water touched the
very walls of the house. Almost I'M
mediately I heard light rustling upon
thy carpet !. I turned. It was Nissa. I
was transfxed with establishment. She
could not have been more than II or rs.
Her thick, dark hair falling upon per-
fectly formed neck and shoulders re-
minded me of the s'Salome" by Reg
nault. Her face, slightly amber in col
or, had all the changing lights ofmoth-
er-of-pearl. But I was especially struck
by the strange contrast between the ex-
ceeding wilderness Of her teeth and the
blackness of her eyes. The eyelashes,
the tips of the lids, and her lips were
painted. She smiled as she. gazed at
| Il
thought of the sertip's words and said
to myself that that woman could not
easily be frightened. However she
took my hand and made me sit upon the
the divan. Dill .5
'sMy husband has started for Tehe-
ran," she said and we have the time
| for pleasure" ~5 &, e.. az.%.4s%
s'She spoke English with a marked
cultural accent. Then she struck q
gong with copper rod, and coffee was
brought in. She began.to talk rapidly,
telling me that her life was very dreary,
i and that she had been interested in me
at first sight. At the same time the ex-
preston Of her eyes was becoming more
and more tender, and her hand was
softly pressing mine She leaned near
or, and suddenly embraced me, fixing
her lips upon mine. I was beginning
to lose my head, when I heard a noise
in the adjoining room. In an instant
she sprang from. my arms, and stood
erect and trembling. Her welcome,
1 her caresses and her sudden fear had
followed each other SO rapidly that I
had no time to analyze my feelings.
4 With the same unfailing grace and an
imation she ran to the wall, and with
out hesitation took down q slender little
dagger and half concealed it in her
i sleeve. She turned to me, and with an
emphatic gesture said: 1sWaitY Then
1 she vanished behind the heavy hang
mgs,
/ Avague fear stole over me- re-
/ called the sertip's warnings. Possibly
] had been 8 little imprudent. Sudden
Ily I again heard . noise in the next
room there we're sounds Of voices, then
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