The great Sheikh came forth from his pavilion and sniffed the morning
air; a dignified smile played over his benignant features, and once he
smoothed his venerable beard.
'My son-in-law is a true son of Israel,' he murmured complacently to
himself. 'He will trust his gold only to his own blood.'
The caravan wound about the plain, then crossed the stream at the
accustomed ford, and approached the amphitheatre.
The horsemen halted, some dismounted, the dromedaries knelt down, Baroni
assisted one of the riders from her seat; the great Sheikh advanced and
said, 'Welcome in the name of God! welcome with a thousand blessings!'
'I come in the name of God; I come with a thousand blessings,' replied
the lady.
'And with a thousand something else,' thought Amalek to himself; but
the Arabs are so polished that they never make unnecessary allusions to
business.
'Had I thought the Queen of Sheba was going to pay me a visit,' said the
great Sheikh, 'I would have brought the pavilion of Miriam. How is the
Rose of Sharon?' he continued, as he ushered Eva into his tent. 'How is
the son of my heart; how is Besso, more generous than a thousand kings?'
'Speak not of the son of thy heart,' said Eva, seating herself on the
divan.
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