" He sighed. "Sorely was I wounded yesternight when thy
marriage thwarted me and placed that Frankish maid beyond my reach. Yet
I respect this marriage of thine, as all Muslims must--for all that in
itself it was unlawful. But there!" he ended with a shrug. "We sail
together once again to crush the Spaniard. Let no ill-will on either
side o'er-cloud the splendour of our task."
"Ameen to that, my lord," said Sakr-el-Bahr devoutly. "I almost
feared...."
"No more!" the Basha interrupted him. "Thou wert never a man to fear
anything, which is why I have loved thee as a son.
But it suited Marzak not at all that the matter should be thus dismissed,
that it should conclude upon a note of weakening from his father, upon
what indeed amounted to a speech of reconciliation. Before Sakr-el-Bahr
could make answer he had cut in to set him a question laden with wicked
intent.
"How will thy bride beguile the season of thine absence, 0 Sakr-el-Bahr?"
"I have lived too little with women to be able to give thee an answer,"
said the corsair.
Marzak winced before a reply that seemed to reflect upon himself. But he
returned to the attack.
"I compassionate thee that art the slave of duty, driven so soon to
abandon the delight of her soft arms. Where hast thou bestowed her, 0
captain?"
"Where should a Muslim bestow his wife but according to the biddings of
the Prophet--in the house?"
Marzak sneered.
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