HAMET accepted his acknowledgements with a peculiar pleasure, for they
had some connexion with ALMEIDA; after whom he again enquired, with an
ardour uncommon even to the benevolence of HAMET. When all his questions
had been asked and answered, he appeared still unwilling to dismiss
Abdallah, though he seemed at a loss how to detain him; he wanted to
know, whether his daughter had yet received an offer of marriage, though
he was unwilling to discover his desire by a direct enquiry: but he soon
found, that nothing could be known, which was not directly asked, from a
man whom reverence and humility kept silent before him, except when
something was said which amounted to a command to speak. At length,
however, he said, not without some hesitation, 'Is there no one,
Abdallah, who will thank me for the preservation of thy daughter, with a
zeal equal to thy own?' 'Yes,' replied Abdallah, 'that daughter whom
thou hast preserved.' This reply, though it was unexpected was pleasing:
for HAMET was not only gratified to hear, that ALMEIDA had expressed
herself warmly in his behalf, at least as a benefactor; but he judged,
that if any man had been interested in her life as a lover, the answer
which Abdallah had given him would not so readily have occurred to his
mind.
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