With a gesture of protestation the Basha waved one of the hands on which his dusky muzzle had rested.
"Ah, do not lie to me," cried the Mahdi."I know where she is--she is in prison.And for what? For no fault but love of her father, and no crime but fidelity to her faith.She has sacrificed the one and abandoned the other.Is that not enough for you, Ben Aboo?
Set her free."
The Basha listened at first with a look of bewilderment, and some half-dozen armed attendants at the farther end of the room shuffled about in their consternation.At length Ben Aboo raised his head, and said with an air of mock inquiry, "Ya Allah!
who is this infidel?"
Then, changing his tone suddenly, he cried, "Sir, I know who you are!
You come to me on this sham errand about the girl, but that is not your purpose, Mohammed of Mequinez! Mohammed the Third!
What fool said you were a spy of the Sultan? Abd er-Rahman is here--my guest and protector.You are a spy of his enemies, and a revolutionary, come hither to ruin our religion and our State.
The penalty for such as you is death, and by Allah you shall die!"Saying this, he so wrought upon his indignation, that in spite of his superstitious fears, and the awe in which he stood of the Mahdi, he half deceived himself, and deceived his attendants entirely.
But the Mahdi took a step nearer and looked straight into his face, and said--"Ben Aboo, ask pardon of God; you are a fool.You talk of putting me to death.You dare not and you cannot do it.""Why not?" cried Ben Aboo, with a thrill of voice that was like a swagger.
"What's to hinder me? I could do it at this moment, and no man need know.""Basha," said the Mahdi, "do you think you are talking to a child?