'
'I'll not believe it! By the God of Sinai, I'll not believe it! Were
my own eye the accursed witness of the deed, I'd not believe it. Go to
mosque! They play with thee, my good Abidan, they play with thee.'
'As it may be. Tis a rumour, but rumours herald deeds. The rest of my
intelligence is true. I had it from my kinsman, stout Zalmunna. He left
the banquet.'
'Shall I go to him? Methinks one single word, To mosque! only a rumour
and a false one. I'll never believe it; no, no, no, never, never! Is he
not the Lord's anointed? The ineffable curse upon this daughter ot the
Moabite! No marvel that it thunders! By heavens, I'll go and beard him
in his orgies!'
'You know your power better than Abidan. You bearded him before his
marriage, yet----'
'He married. Tis true. Honain, their chief. And I kept his ring! Honain
is my brother. Have I ne'er a dagger to cut the bond of brotherhood?'
'We have all daggers, Jabaster, if we knew but how to use them.'
''Tis strange, we met after twenty years of severance. You were not
in the chamber, Abidan. 'Twas at council. We met after twenty years of
severance. He is my brother. 'Tis strange, I say: I felt that man shrink
from my embrace.
Pages:
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250