Fatimah saw his error instantly."Naomi is alive," she said, and, seeing how the clouds lifted off his face, she added quickly, "and well, very well."That is not telling a falsehood, she thought; but when Israel, with a cry of joy which was partly pain, flung his arms about her, she saw what she had done.
"Where is she?" he cried."Bring her, you dear, good soul.
Why is she not here? Lead me to her, lead me!"Then Fatimah began to wring her hands."Alas!" she said, weeping, "that cannot be."Israel steadied himself and waited."She cannot come to you, and neither can you go to her." said Fatimah."But she is well, oh!
very well.Poor child, she is at the Kasbah--no, no, not the prison--oh no, she is happy--I mean she is well, yes, and cared for--indeed, she is at the palace--the women's palace--but set your mind easy--she--"With such broken, blundering words the good woman blurted out the truth, and tried to deaden the blow of it.But the soul lives fast, and Israel lived a lifetime in that moment.
"The palace!" he said in a bewildered way."The women's palace--the women's--" and then broke off shortly."Fatimah, I want to go to Naomi," he said.
And Fatimah stammered, "Alas! alas! you cannot, you never can--""Fatimah," said Israel, with an awful calm."Can't you see, woman, I have come home? I and Naomi have been long parted.Do you not understand?--I want to go to my daughter.""Yes, yes," said Fatimah; "but you can never go to her any more.
She is in the women's apartments--"