The record-union., 1893-08-12
A SERPENT OF OLD NILE.


and which had lately arrived in Cairo.
And the .Pasha, requiring little persua-
sion in view of the attractions detailed to
him, accompanied his visitors that night.
Next day the Pasha's only surviving
spouse, Rakiyah, who had not seen her
husband for twenty-four hours, called to
her presence a particular man servant,
Murad, whom she had brought with her
from Constantinople on her first entrance
into the harem.
Since the Pasha has not returned"
she said, you shall now relate what
passed last night. Who were his COM
panions ?"
''The Englishmen whom you saw
walking in the gardens, and two others
who had not come here with them"
And these two"
"Were Morton, the Katib at the Eng
lish Consulate, and his friend-Osman
the YuZbashi."
The woman's eyes quivered strangely,
and dark flush suifused her face.
And this girl whom they went to see,
who starts up, after lapse of twelve
years, as my rival in every sense, what Of
herr"
"Well?'
Like yourself in earlier time. the girl
Is a snake-charmer and dancer"
This l knew before. Make me not
impatient. Describe her person."
81 need not do So" said the man
calmly.
"Why?"
because you mean to see her yourself
You mean to judge of her face and form,
to be critic of her skill, TO witness the
impression she has made on your hus-
band-and on others; because 1 have
already arranged for you to do all this
yourself undiscovered"
That night. indeed, Rakiyah, attended
by Murad, both carefully disguised, stood
among the spectators attracted by the
new artist. The Pasha's wife looked on
woman quite fifteen years younger than
herself, distinguished by an order of
beauty which Rakiyah, with a sinking
heart, felt that she had never seen equaled
"a woman going through her various
feats with an ease and grace which the
unknown observer might, indeed, have
rIvaled on occasion in earlier days, but
never surpassed. Rakiyah glanced from
the performer to the onlookers. Her
husband sat far away to her right-the
most prominent among circle of joyous
and vigorous applauders. A little way
from him was fair-haired Englishman,
with a quiclS-eyed, od-humored face
that beamed with frank pleasure. Next
to him sat young man, handsome, with
the grave-dark beauty of the Orient, but
with neither its heaviness nor its eff
feminacy. He was dressed in the uni
form OF Captain in the Egyptian Army,
which set Off admirably his alert and
graceful figure. Her eyes were fixed with
profound absorption on the girl in the
arena And when that girl swerved her
head in his direction, which happened
more than once, IL appeared to Rakiyah
that communicating lights of Intelligence
CLEANED in the eyes of both. The Pasha's
70 t,r ranrN
Then she turned glance upon her serV-
ant, who seemed to divine her every
movement, and they both arose without
waiting for the end of the performance
and went away.
For six days Rakiyah remained Sc
cluded in her apartments, untroubled by
the conversation of her husband, and
speaking to no one else. 1t seemed as il
she would no more care to look upon the
light OF day. Hardly did she betray a
sign of life. And amid the unutterable
darkness and solitude and torpor of her
spirit Murad stood announced before
her.
What passed between them in two
hours exchange OF condolences, at first
constrained, then more and more We
hement and unreserved, edectually dis
PEELED her languor. Her eyes blazed
with an unholy fire. Her whole frame
writhed and Lrembled with new and
terrible life. She painted forth a COM
nand to him to go and do her will, and
he left her.
Next morning he once more came sud-
denly upon her,
Your husband will be here within an
hour" he said with an abruptness that
was habitual to him.
"N Ou have seen the snake dealer?" she
exclaimed in an agony OF fimpatience.
And l have chosen the snake"
lone that will serve its purpOse?''
l,.,s, ,,t, i
1t is not an animal. 1t is an incarnation
OF fierceness, voracity and slaughter"
at is large and Strong?''
Il will not say that it could crush one
of the blocks of the great Pyramid to
powder in its embrace" answered Murad,
with grim smile; 1and yet / should not
care to be responsi bic for the safety of the
mightiest elephant that could be opposed
to it."
"And now, my husband. These many
nights he has been doubtless at the cir
cus?''
Yes"
"This doomed creature has drawn her
usual following of spectators?''
"All that you are interested in. l think
you know the Pasha's object in coming
now"
"What is it?'
'Shall l indeed tell you?"
She brought her smiling, murderess'
face nearer TO his.
'Jf there be in it that which should
grieve me-" she said, do not spare me-
If theEe be wrong or humiliation threat
ened TO me l have one follower at least
who will chance the worst to see me
avenged"
BE sure of that" rejoIned the servant.
with but slight increase of resolution in
his enthusiastically firm tones.
SAY, then, why is my husband COM
ing2"
''To tell you that before week is gone
by he means to marry this performer"
said the man, leaving her while he spoke
with the suddenness with which he had
entered.
1t was less than an hour later that Raki-
yah, radiant with smiles, prodigal of the
tenderest cal esses, received her husband.
lie broached to her, somewhat hesitating-
ly, the project named by Murad. She
laughed away his doubts and welcomed
with delight Miriam's proposed entrance
into the harem-"one trained like her
self, with tastes and accomplishments
like her own"
And, indeed, va assadi," she con-
tiuued, Il have one boon to crave of
you"
''What is that?"
you will mock at me.r
mo; do not fear me-"
"Na muhbubil | knowyou will think
me most foolish"
Name this boom"
"Why then, va sidi! va Janiml before
this my sister wife comes here | should
wish TO have an open display of skill be-
tween her and me.''
"What?"
"My lion, darling, be not angry. All!
that is petter-yeS, laugh. NV lord