“But perhaps, O Kyrlos, we have not met with such as we would marry, or perhaps those whom we would marry would not have us! With us it is the woman who decides rather than the man.”
“With us also. It is not so in all lands?”
“In many it is otherwise, or so they say. Often it is the girl’s parents, and in some countries the parents of both, who settle these matters.”
“That is bad, methinks; such things should be for the man and for the woman. But I should be grieved to think of seeing Stephnos at your thirty years and still unwed.”
“Thirty-two—O Kyrlos. But, if I had been married, doubtless I should have remained at home, and then maybe the Lady Aryenis would not be with you now, so perhaps our customs have some value upon occasion.”
“Doubtless, my friend; all things are well planned could we but see ahead.”
Then he changed the subject, and for the rest of our ride back talked of the coming war. I could see that at heart his cares lay heavy upon him for all his cheerful talk to his people.
After a lazy afternoon spent with Aryenis looking round the grounds and asking questions about the country, we had an early evening meal, for Kyrlos had announced that we should start very early the next day. Aryenis went to bed soon after dinner, and we followed her example, since Kyrlos was busy hearing the reports of his officers back from the districts.
Before we went to bed, Payindah and Firoz plied us with questions as to the exact relationship between the Sakae and Sikandar, and hence with themselves. We gathered that they had settled down most comfortably, and Payindah in particular was the hero of the soldiers, since Aryenis had explained his share in her escape. Like all Punjabis, he was not devoid of swagger, and his locks were new-curled and oiled, and his leather new-cleaned, while I remarked that he had obtained a silk fringe for the end of his pagri.
During the afternoon they had accompanied some of the soldiers into the neighbouring village, where they had been the guests of the day, and referred with some gusto to the excellent sherbet that had been given to them. I fear their ignorance of the language misled them in the matter of the country white wine.