He found the Moor seated cross-legged on a carpet, smoking his hookah, with only a negress in attendance. His easel, he found, was already placed, and, to his surprise, he observed that the original drawing with which his career as a painter had commenced was placed upon it.
“I wish you to finish that picture by introducing a figure,” said Ben-Ahmed, with solemn gravity.
He spoke in Lingua Franca, which Foster understood pretty well by that time.
It now became evident to him why the drawing of the room had been left unfinished, and he thought it probable that modesty—or, perhaps, a difficulty in overcoming the Moslem’s dislike to being transferred to canvas at all—had caused the delay.
“In what attitude do you wish to be painted?” asked the middy, as he moved the easel a little, and took a professional, head-on-one-side look at his subject.
“In no attitude,” returned the Moor gravely.
“Pardon me,” said Foster in surprise. “Did you not say that—that—”
“I said that I wish you to finish the drawing by introducing a figure,” returned Ben-Ahmed, taking a long draw at the hookah.
“Just so—and may I ask—”
“The figure,” resumed the Moor, taking no notice of the interruption, “is to be one of my women slaves.”