After a pause he became somewhat violent, and seemed as if he would have waved his wounded arm; but Baroni, whose eye, though himself unobserved, never quitted his charge, laid his finger upon the arm, and Tancred did not struggle. Again he spoke of angels, but in a milder and mournful tone.
‘Methinks you look like one,’ thought Eva, as she beheld his spiritual countenance lit up by a superhuman fire.
After a few minutes, she glanced at Baroni, to signify her wish to leave the tent, and he rose and accompanied her. Fakredeen also rose, with streaming eyes, and making the sign of the cross.
‘Forgive me,’ he said to Eva, ‘but I cannot help it. Whenever I am in affliction I cannot help remembering that I am a Christian.’
‘I wish you would remember it at all times,’ said Eva, ‘and then, perhaps, none of us need have been here;’ and then not waiting for his reply, she addressed herself to Baroni. ‘I agree with you,’ she said. ‘If we cannot give him sleep, he will soon sleep for ever.’
‘Oh, give him sleep, Eva,’ said Fakredeen, wringing his hands; ‘you can do anything.’
‘I suppose,’ said Baroni, ‘it is hopeless to think of finding any opium here.’
‘Utterly,’ said Eva; ‘its practice is quite unknown among them.’
‘Send for some from El Khuds,’ said Fakredeen. ‘Idle!’ said Baroni; ‘this is an affair of hours, not of days.’
‘Oh, but I will go,’ exclaimed Fakredeen; ‘you do not know what I can do on one of my dromedaries! I will——’