Now, when those steps were heard, a faint colour rose in the
cheek of the Lady Arjemand; but she did not raise the heavy
lashes, or move her hand. And he came up beside her, and the
Shadow of God, who should kneel to none, knelt, and his head fell
forward upon her breast; and in the hush the women glided out
like ghosts, leaving the husband with the wife excepting only
that her foster-nurse stood far off, with eyes averted.
So the minutes drifted by, falling audibly one by one into
eternity, and at the long last she slowly opened her eyes and, as
from the depths of a dream, beheld the Emperor; and in a voice
faint as the fall of a rose-leaf she said the one word,
"Beloved!"
And he from between his clenched teeth, answered, "Speak, wife."
So she, who in all things had loved and served him, - she, Light
of all hearts, dispeller of all gloom, - gathered her dying
breath for consolation, and raised one hand slowly; and it fell
across his, and so remained.
Now, her beauty had been broken in the anguish like a rose in
storm; but it returned to her, doubtless that the Padishah might
take comfort in its memory; and she looked like a houri of
Paradise who, kneeling beside the Zemzem Well, beholds the Waters
of Peace.
Pages:
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293