Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-10


She smiled and shook her head. Anything
that is pure" she SAID but what desire you
have not in your ship. long for fat quails with
Italian rice. and for .ig paste, and | desire a
Sherbet made with rose leaves such the ner
chants wife ami used To drink at the KAT
fedIs by the ttalata Bridge, and sometimes
when We went up the sweet Waters in calquc
on Friday. But YOU have not such things or
Your ship
Logotheti smiled. You forget that l my
self am from Constantinople, he said. 1T Is
now the season for fat quais in Italy. and they
are sent alive to London and Paris and there
are many in my ship. waiting to be eaten.
There is also fig paste from the STEAMBOAT con-
fectioner the end of the Galata Bridge.
and preserved rose leaves with which to make.
u Sherbet and much ice: and YOU shall eat ami
drink the things YOU like best Moreover II
there is anything else YOU long for, speak.
" You are soothing at Baraka, answered the
slim thing in blue serge. with the air OF dis
pleased fairy princess.
Not |. You shall see. We shall have 4
table set here between with all the things
YOU desire.
Truly: And coffee too Real coffee: Not
the thin mud broth of the Franks
Il Real coffee. IN a real rldfdu.
Baraka clapped her small white hands for
pleasure. You are indeed a very great man
she cried. You of the kings
At the sound Of the clapping she had made,
Logothetis Greek steward appeared IN silver
laced blue Jacket and fez
He comes because YOU clapped your
hands. Logotheti said with a smile.
Baraka laughed softly. We not in your
ship, she SAID: We are in Constantinople |
am happy The smile faded quickly and her
dark lasheS dro"pe,l. " 1t Is pity" she added
very low and her left hand felt the long steel
bodkin through her dress.
The steward knew Turkish, but did not
deStand all She said IN her own tongue ami
besides his master already ordering
usual luncheon. IN trreek. which disturbed even
his Eastern faculty Of hearing separately with
each ear IN different languages.
Baraka was busy with her thoughts
again. and paid no more attention to her COM
panlon. until the steward came back after Il
few minutes bringing low table which he
placed between the Two chairs. He dISap-
peared again. and returned immediately with
a Salver. on which there two small cups
of steaning Turkish coffee. each in its silver
tiligree stand. AMI two tall glasses of sherbet
of beautiful pale rose color.
Baraka turned On her chair with a look o.
pleasure. tasted the light hot foam OF the.
coffee. and then began ~ drink slowly, with
en- loyment which increased visblv with every
sip
1T is real coffee" she said. looking UP At
Logothet. 1t Is made with the beans of
Arabia which picked nut one by one for the
sheiks themselves before the coffee is sold I,
the Indian princes. The unripe and broken
beans that are left are sold To the great Pashas
in Constantinopl-. And that Is all there Is %
it: for the Persian merchant explained all u
me. and know. But how you have got the
coffee of the SheikS, know not. You are L
very great man.
The gates ri the pleasant places of this
world are all locked. and the keys of gold -
observed Logotheti, who could quote AsiatIc
proverbs by the dozen when he liked. - BUT
the doors Of H ladies' stand ALWAYS open. he
added. suddenly following t. Greek thought.
and from where>oever men are. the way
that leads u them Is but one
Baraka had tasted the Sherbet. which in
tereSted her than his philosophical re-
Elections. This also Is delicious. she said I
but in STEAMBOAT even u poor man may have
it for a few para>.
And good water from the fountain for
nothing. returned Logotheti
There silence again she leaned back,
sufficiently satisfied To wait another hour for
the fat quails the Italian rice. and the tig
paste. to which She was looking forward, Ank
the Yacht moved at her leisurely twelve
knot speed. through the Hat calm of the late
summer while atmosphere OF bodily
peace and comfort gathered round Baraka like
u delicate mist that hid the future and softened
the past.
RY and bv when she had eaten the fat quai,
and the Italian rice. and then the fig paste,
and had drunk more Sherbet of rose leaves.
and more coffee but none of these things IL
any excess. that perfect peace came upon her