Evening star., 1935-11-17
November ~. 1885

Zoran paused again, and in my surprise
unmindful of strictest courtesy, broke the .
silence by interfering why, we have the
same proverb in English!'
1t was Hussein. with his cynical frendliness
toward what he deemed the emptiness of
Anglo-Saxon moral philosophy, who saved
my face by saying: "Yes. but you never think
of applying it except in most trivial cases.
Zoran smiled and said "In that respect
we Arabs are different. Mohammed himself
said - in one of the hadithS Il that we must
follow logic. step by step. though it lead to
China - that is, to the last conclusion no
matter how far off or fantastic. In this case.
as l lay for many weeks while strength re-
turned to me, measured my duty, my obliga-
tion by the law and wisdom of Mohammed,
against the fact that putting her to death,
as is the custom when wife has sought to slay
her husband. would cause me loss and pain.
This was my problem in the abstract, and
its concrete form in plainest terms was that
since this woman pleased me more than any
would ever behold again this side of paradise,
l wished to keep her in health. whole, alive,
yet was in duty bound to prevent the pos
sibllity that ever again she might in another
frenzy take or imperil the life of her lord. l
suppose the temperament of such dangerous,
rare women is everywhere alike, mchange-
able. forever beyond their own control -
thing which no amount of kindness, reason
ing, prayer, nor even the cruelest punishment
can eradicate or prevent from flaming again
at some unprotected future time
How solved the problem, you have seen.
There were many consultations on anatomy
with my physicians. other consultations with
my metal workers which yielded nothing. and
finally my tentmakers. expert workers in fine
leather. at their leisure contrived the thing
perfectly. When my lady was brought out to
them, in my presence. she was proud and
silent, believing that she had been sentenced
to be tortured, and was prepared to endure it;
but when there was no pain and she began to
understand there would be none, that she
would live on with her arms cunningly i'm
prisoned. she fought and bit like newly
captured panther.
And when it was finished thinking had
done it for prolonged shame and humilia-
tion, she was not piteous or Inundated, but
enraged, flaming with anger and hatred. So
left her for month in the hands of the women
and when next | had her brought into my
presence. her pride was broken. But presently
she lifted her head and saw in my eyes that
had not contrived it for her shame but only
because through my great love l could not
bear to have her put to death.
And thus we were reconciled. As the years
have passed. she has regained her pride, and
often commends my wisdom
And mellah. Zoran Pasha, commend it
too. having seen the pearl among women she
has become" said Hussein chuckling softly.
you are indeed true philosopher"
And now IN far away New York. after long
years had passed, l was reading the letter
from this same Hussein Pasha, which gave
me the permission to make what writer's use
chose of the strange thing we had seen.
All things must come to an end, he wrote,
and the end of what he chose to call i am
certain without irony - this rare tale of
love-" had come in September 1895, when
Zoran Pasha had been thrown from horse
and killed. Hussein had learned it from the
next of kin, an aged uncle, who had come
north to settle with Damascus bankers certain
details of the succession and inheritance.
This old gentleman, Hussen told me, had
been considerably embarrassed in the matter
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