human
No, no! she cried in heart-thrilling tones.
gpt
Place not thine hand upon me! My touch polluteth thee! It will perhaps be best--best for both of us if we part to-night to never meet again!
human
Tell me, I demanded quickly,
gpt
Yes, they have! I swear--they--have!
human
And thou art the wife of Hadj Absalam?
gpt
Ah! no, no! she protested, with feverish anxiety, raising her pale, haggard face imploringly to mine.
human
Judge me not too harshly, she cried.
gpt
Though the awful stigma of sin lieth upon me, and my life is accursed, yet here at thy feet I tell thee I am neither wife nor slave. I have suffered no man to hold me in fond embrace, nor to kiss my lips, save thee. I take oath upon the Book of Everlasting Will.
human
Canst thou not tell me why thou, a pure and innocent woman, art here among these barbaric Sons of the Desert?
gpt
I am not innocent, I confess to thee. How can I be, when to my vile cunning is due that inhuman butchery which causeth the Ennitra to be held in terror throughout the Desert? Until thine eyes met mine, I knew neither mercy nor remorse, but now--Faugh! I see my crimes in all their revolting hideousness, and I--I hate--I loathe myself--for I am the Slave of the Destroyer!
human
Let us bury the past, I said, slowly and with sincerity, assisting her to rise, and, holding her again in my arms, I rained passionate kisses upon her sequin-covered brow.
gpt
Though much that is incomprehensible remaineth like a curtain obscuring thee, yet I am satisfied that I bestow not my affection in vain--
human
Ah, my Amin! thou knowest not how dearly I love thee,
gpt
I can gauge thy feelings by mine own, I answered.
human
Thou must leave this life of outlawry; but ere thou canst escape from thy people, I am compelled to gain certain knowledge. This will I strive once again to accomplish; but in the meantime I desire not to gaze down the uninviting vista of thy past, or tear the veil from unpleasant facts that thou wouldst hide from me. I am confident in the knowledge that thou art neither a wife nor an inmate of thy Sheikh's harem, and that, though morally guilty of the massacres that have sent a thrill through two continents, yet thy position hath, in some way unexplained, been thrust upon thee. I consider this in considerable measure palliates thy crimes, and--
gpt
I vow I have acted always against my will--always! It was horrible!
human
Yes, I know, I said, tenderly stroking her long silky hair.
gpt
Thou hast my love, sympathy, and forgiveness. Some day, when we are wedded, peradventure thou wilt tell me how thou earnest to rule this piratical band.
human
It was to save mine honour,
gpt
Then I will demand no further explanation, I said.
human
It sufficeth that we are confident in each other's love.
gpt
Yes, we are, we are! she cried, with a wild outburst of passionate affection, kissing me again and again.
human
I have spoken the truth as clearly as circumstances will allow, nevertheless, thou hast faith in me. Thou art still my Amin, generous and true. For thee will I live in the hope of eventual freedom, and should misfortune overtake us, by thy side will I die!
gpt
Let us anticipate success,
human
Yes,
gpt
If thou gainest the Great Secret, thou wilt obtain strange knowledge, which will prove to thee amazing, and reveal an unheard-of marvel. Therefore strive on. Though thou mayest see me sometimes, seek not to hold converse with me. Remember always while thou art with us that we are watched closely by those only too eager for a pretext for killing thee. Indeed, if thou wort discovered here, thine head would quickly be smitten off and mounted upon thy tent-pole, so likewise any attempt to speak with me would inevitably cause a dozen knives to pierce thine heart. Henceforth we are strangers until I restore to thee the Crescent, and thy mission is safely accomplished.
human
I will preserve silence, and seek thee not.
gpt
Make me one other promise, she exclaimed in grave earnestness.
human
Whatsoever thou mayest witness during our advance upon Agadez, never wilt thou think ill of me. Remember always that I am forced to act as I do in order to preserve mine own honour.
gpt
I promise,