"There's one thing I forgot to tell you about our talk in the desert. I promised him I would say 'yes' in case something happened—something I thought then couldn't happen."
"But you find now it could?"
"Oh, no—no, I don't believe it could."
"You'd better tell me what it is."
"That you—I said, I would promise to marry him if you wished it. He asked me to promise that, and I did, at once."
A slow colour crept over Saidee's face, up to her forehead. "You trusted me," she murmured.
"And I do now—with all my heart. Only you've lived here, out of the world, alone and sad for so long, that you're afraid of things I'm not afraid of."
"I'm afraid because I know what cause there is for fear. But you're right. My life has made me a coward. I can't help it."
"Yes, you can—I've come to help you help it."
"How little you understand! They'll use you against me, me against you. If you knew I were being tortured, and you could save me by marrying Maïeddine, what would you do?"