Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1901-09-12
CHAPTER VII.
At Hassem's House.

AT hdSSefn 5 House.
Ulin had lost none Of her wondrous
beauty; but she had become pale, and
the healthy fash of the eye was gone
Late in the evening she sat in her
chamber, with her brow resting upon
her hand, and ever and anon deep
sigh escaped her.
MY dear good mistress" spoke AL
bia, gliding to the side of the princess,
and resting her hand affectionately
upon her arm, ST cannot bear to see
you suffer so. What is it,"
1T is nothing, Abba" Ulin spoke
without raising her head, and her
voice was low and sad.
Don't tell me that" urged the at
tendant. She got down upon her knees,
and gazed earnestly up into Ulin's face.
"Oh, my dear lady, you are misera-
Bile and unhappy. Why will you not
pour out your sorrows to me? Perhaps
| can help you bear them. You know
| love you; you know that | will be
faithful. Tell me ALL and | will suffer
with you il can; and / will help you
II tACit 10 htlp " uC ldu. 40 liNC at
this moment, so, If 1t should appear to
me necessary, would lay down my life
for your welfare. VIII you not trust
me?"
"Ulin leaned her head forward upon
Albia's shoulder, and burst into tears.
"Oh, Abba. you are my friend-you
are my sister. l know you love me;
and | cannot tell you how grateful /
am"
"They why will you not lift the veil
from your sorrow, and allow me to
feel still more for your"
II had almost resolved to tell you,
Abba"
Then make the resolution sure, and
admit me to your fullest confidence"
The princess dried her eyes, and
finally lifted her head from her COM
panion's shoulder.
Dear Abba. know not how to COM
mence. l am a child-a poor, foolish
child-as you will say when | have
told you all. You will say that | de-
serve to suffer, and that punishment
should be mine"
NAY. my lady," responded the bond
maiden; you must not commence in
that way. Tell me first all the cause
of your sorrow; and leave it for me to
base my own judgment Come-trust
me. and let me give you all my sym
pathy."
A few moments the princess was ST.
lent, and then she said, with low
tremor in her voice:
Dear Abba, when | said that |
would marry with the king l did not
think what was doing. That strange
dream, so wonderfully repeated, led
my father to breach the subject. and /
did not refuse. When he talked of
my being queen, and of my giving
birth to king to a king OF Damascus,
| thought 1t might be my duty to offer
myself. ! did not then know Horam.
But-now-I have learned new things.
/ dread the fate which | have courted.
| fear and loathe the man whose wife
| have promised to become. When |
first promised to give myself to Horam
felt that | could perform the duty
without the sacrifice of any real vir-
tue or comfort Of life. But, oh, how
changed 1t has all become. Not only
does my whole nature shrink from the
sacrifice, but 1t seems as though a fate
worse than death were involved in the
ordeal. Last night dreamed that Ho-
ram was my husband, and that he
meant to kill me. He did not plan to
drown me, as he did poor Helena; but
he declared that should be thrown
alive into den of wild beasts. II
makes you shudder, Abba"
"Oh, how terriblep'
"And yet. my dear girl, I dreamed
that felt relief when I knew that
death was coming, even though 1t was
to come so dreadfully. Just think what
a state Of mind that must be. oh, 1t
Is horrible! Dear Abba, l know not
what to do"
Have you told me all?" whispered
the bondmaiden, winding her arm
about her mistress neck, and kissing
her upon the brow.
Have not told you enough?" re-
turned Ulin, covering her face with her
hands.
mot IL there is more to tell, dear
lady. You have trusted me this far
trust me with all. You have told me
that you dread the king: and do not
wonder at this. You cannot have for
gotten that spoke against the union
from the first. 1t seemed to me I'M
natural. But, lady. there is something
more"
Nothing more which I dare to tell,
Abba. Nay-do not ask me. have
told you all that l can tell. And now
l ask you-what can I do? The fatal
hour Is nigh at hand in the which I
have promised to give myself to the
king"
There is one thing you can do, my
mistress-one thing alone. which can
see."
Speak. Abba"
you can fee"
"Flee!" repeated Ulin. In a startled
whisper.