While we were still engaged in this conversation, a Moor came running up,

exclaiming that four Turks had leaped over the fence or wall of the

garden, and were gathering the fruit though it was not yet ripe. The old

man was alarmed and Zoraida too, for the Moors commonly, and, so to

speak, instinctively have a dread of the Turks, but particularly of the

soldiers, who are so insolent and domineering to the Moors who are under

their power that they treat them worse than if they were their slaves.

Her father said to Zoraida, "Daughter, retire into the house and shut

thyself in while I go and speak to these dogs; and thou, Christian, pick

thy herbs, and go in peace, and Allah bring thee safe to thy own

Advertisement..

country."

I bowed, and he went away to look for the Turks, leaving me alone with

Zoraida, who made as if she were about to retire as her father bade her;

but the moment he was concealed by the trees of the garden, turning to me

with her eyes full of tears she said, "Tameji, cristiano, tameji?" that is

to say, "Art thou going, Christian, art thou going?"

I made answer, "Yes, lady, but not without thee, come what may: be on the

watch for me on the next Juma, and be not alarmed when thou seest us; for

most surely we shall go to the land of the Christians."

This I said in such a way that she understood perfectly all that passed

between us, and throwing her arm round my neck she began with feeble

steps to move towards the house; but as fate would have it (and it might

have been very unfortunate if Heaven had not otherwise ordered it), just

as we were moving on in the manner and position I have described, with

her arm round my neck, her father, as he returned after having sent away

the Turks, saw how we were walking and we perceived that he saw us; but

Zoraida, ready and quickwitted, took care not to remove her arm from my

neck, but on the contrary drew closer to me and laid her head on my

breast, bending her knees a little and showing all the signs and tokens

of fainting, while I at the same time made it seem as though I were

supporting her against my will. Her father came running up to where we

were, and seeing his daughter in this state asked what was the matter

with her; she, however, giving no answer, he said, "No doubt she has

fainted in alarm at the entrance of those dogs," and taking her from mine

he drew her to his own breast, while she sighing, her eyes still wet with

tears, said again, "Ameji, cristiano, ameji"--"Go, Christian, go." To

this her father replied, "There is no need, daughter, for the Christian

to go, for he has done thee no harm, and the Turks have now gone; feel no

alarm, there is nothing to hurt thee, for as I say, the Turks at my

request have gone back the way they came."




Most Popular