"Bah! She'll love him fast enough after he breaks her spirit."
Souleima filled a long-handled brass dipper from the hydrant and put into the water the coffee, ground fine as dust, together with four teaspoonfuls of sugar. Then, screening her face with her left hand, she kneeled in front of the fire and held the dipper in the coals until its contents boiled over. Ayesha lifted the smoking cylinder from the crotches and, shaking it violently for a moment, set it up against the side of the house.
"Shall I bring two cups or three?" she called from the door of the kitchen.
"Only two. Let Ferende make her own coffee."
"Hadn't I better call her?"
"You'll only get insulted if you do. The nasty cat!"
CHAPTER XXVI
A HOPELESS PRISONER
Panayota was walking to and fro in a room whose one window looked straight against the blank wall of a house not ten feet distant. A grating of iron bars prevented her escape in that direction and the door was locked. She was very pale and there were deep circles under her eyes. She was muttering as one distracted. Occasionally she raised her eyes and hands to heaven.
"Dear little Virgin, all Holy One, save me from this infamy, from the pollution of the Turk. Save me in any way, help me to escape or to die!"