‘Baba,’ she replied, ‘now indeed all gladness has left my heart, for I can never marry and leave you.’
‘Silly child! Go tell Embarek and the other slaves to prepare for our departure to-morrow, and let two mules have packs put on them to convey the prisoners. Two can ride together, with fetters, upon one mule, and João shall have his fetters taken off and ride the other. Thus shall the Christian be treated kindly, as you have interceded for him, but he must swear by Allah that he will not attempt to escape. Now tell your handmaids to direct the guards to bring João here, and put on your ‘haik’ and cover your face, my daughter, so that you may remain in the room and hear what the infidel says, and the orders I am about to give.’
When João entered, the artful Sheikh put on a smiling countenance and said, ‘João, I have decided on taking you to the Court, as our Lord and Master, according to the Sherifian edict which I have read, offered to take you into his service as a gunsmith. I wish you to forget all that has passed and that we may become good friends.’—‘Take off his fetters,’ he said to the slaves, ‘and go.’—Then turning to João, ‘No guard is necessary,’ said he, ‘for you are now at liberty, João, if you will swear by Allah that you will not attempt to escape.’
The fetters were removed from João, who was about to give a haughty retort, when Rahma, who stood a little behind her father, lowered her veil and placed her finger on her lips with an imploring expression, so João replied, smiling, ‘I thank you, Sheikh, and accept your proffered friendship and will forget the past. I also swear by God, in Whom as you have rightly said I believe, that I shall not attempt to escape; but I have to beg that my fellow-prisoners also have their fetters removed and be treated kindly.’
Rahma, bending down to her father’s ear, whispered, ‘Have pity on the poor Christians. God’s blessing will then be with you, Oh my father!’ Whereupon the Sheikh, turning to João, replied, ‘It shall be as you wish, and I will see these two prisoners at once.’ So saying he clapped his hands, but neither Embarek nor any other attendant answered the summons, and the Sheikh, rising hastily, stepped into the courtyard calling loudly for Embarek.
João then hurriedly poured forth, in a low voice, his heartfelt thanks to the gentle Rahma, and taking off a silver chain which he wore concealed round his neck and to which was attached a small cross, said, ‘Accept this in remembrance of one who owes his life to you, and whose fondest hope now will be to see you again in this world.’
‘Never can that be,’ replied Rahma, placing as she spoke the chain and cross in her bosom; ‘we are not like the Christian women; we are kept shut up and treated as prisoners, and are not allowed to have a will of our own: my father has just informed me that on his return from Fas I am to be married to old Sheikh Amar of Zazor. I am miserable at the thought of leaving my father who loves me, to dwell under the roof of one I shall never love.’
‘Rahma,’ said João, ‘could you love a Nazarene who believes in God, and loves you, sweet maiden, better than his own life?’
The girl, hiding her blushing face, faltered out, ‘I could, and indeed I do love you; but it is all in vain.’
‘It shall not be in vain,’ said João, ‘for if I succeed in pleasing the Sultan by the manufacture of gun-barrels such as His Majesty desires, and thus obtain his favour, I shall assume the Moorish garb, and, throwing myself at the feet of the Sultan, implore His Majesty to require the Sheikh, your father, to give you to me as my wife—if you will only love me.’