CHAPTER IV
MISKA'S STORY (concluded)
"Of course, I did not know that this was his name at the time; I only knew that a tall Chinaman had entered the room—and that his face was entirely covered by a green veil."
Stuart started, but did not interrupt Miska's story.
"This veil gave him in some way a frightfully malign and repellent appearance. As he stood in the doorway looking down I seemed to feel his gaze passing over me like a flame, although of course I could not see his eyes. For a moment he stood there looking at me; and much as his presence had affected me, its affect upon the slave-dealer and my purchaser was extraordinary. They seemed to be stricken dumb. Suddenly the Chinaman spoke, in perfect Arabic. 'Her price?' he said.
"Mohammed Abd-el-Bali, standing trembling before him, replied:
"'Miska is already sold, lord, but——"
"'Her price?' repeated the Chinaman, in the same hard metallic voice and without the slightest change of intonation.
"The harem agent who had bought me now said, his voice shaking so that the words were barely audible:
"'I give her up, Mohammed—I give her up. Who am I to dispute with the Mandarin Fo-Hi;' and performing an abject obeisance he backed out of the room.