Pale, erect, calm, she gazed slowly around her, apparently in search of someone, and heedless of a second outburst of cordial welcome. Suddenly her eyes met mine. She started visibly, turned a shade paler, I thought, then set her teeth firmly, as if bracing herself up for some supreme effort.
Her handsome face, with the slight touch of sorrow in its expression, looked even more beautiful than in the subdued light of the harem, and as the brilliant sunset tipped her dark unbound hair with gold and fell upon her breast, whereon lay a great single emerald suspended by a chain of pearls, she seemed standing in hesitancy, as if shrinking from some action she was compelled to perform. Once again she lifted her long lashes in my direction, but only for a second, for, drawing a deep breath, her gaze wandered round the sea of dark, anxious countenances, as she raised her white bare arm heavenward.
In a moment there was a dead silence. The men about her, who had given vent to words of admiration on seeing her unveiled, were breathless in expectancy.
“Behold! my people! At my feet lieth the Drum of Nâr!” she cried in clear, resolute tones, though at first there seemed a slight quiver in her voice. “Times without number hast thou and thy forefathers gone down into battle to its sound. Its note is to thee of a verity a note of victory; to thine enemies a knell of speedy death. To its tones hast thou defeated the legions of the Infidels, and to its roll canst thou now, if thou wilt follow me, overthrow the Sultan of Agadez.”
“Wheresoever thou goest, there also will we go!” shouted the evil-looking crowd enthusiastically with one accord, flourishing their rifles high above their heads. “Lead us, O our Malieah! (Queen) O Beauteous Daughter of the Sun! O Bringer of Victory! We will follow thee!”
“Give ear unto me!” she cried again, silencing the wild tumult of enthusiasm with uplifted hands. “I would have brief speech with thee before we commence the advance to Abd-el-Kerim’s stronghold. Verily I tell thee that—”
“Cease thy chatter, I command!” cried Hadj Absalam, in a sudden ebullition of anger. “Have I not forbidden thee to address unto the people words other than those which have received my sanction?”
Glancing towards him, the colour left her face, and she trembled as if in fear, but the people, noticing the dispute, cried loudly, “Let the Lalla, Queen of the Noor, speak unto us, O our Father! In her wisdom do we place our trust.” This popular demonstration in her favour gave her courage, and heedless of the fiercely-uttered imprecations of the pirate chieftain, Zoraida, drawing a long breath, continued—
“For many moons now past there hath been amongst thee, my foster-brethren, signs of discontent,” she said.