Yet--yet, somehow, as
he bent his footsteps towards his lodgings again he had a sense of
disappointment, of revelation. What might happen to him--evidently that
had not occurred to her. How could she know but that his life might be in
danger; that, after all, they might have been seen leaving the fatal
room? Well, she had gone, and with all his heart he was glad that she was
safe.
His judgment upon last night's event was not coloured by a single direct
criticism upon the girl. But he could not prevent the suggestion suddenly
flashing into his mind that she had thought of herself first and last.
Well, she had gone; and he was here to face the future, unencumbered by
aught save the weight of his own conscience.
Yet, the weight of his conscience! His feet were still free--free for one
short hour before he went to Kaid; but his soul was in chains. As he
turned his course to the Nile, and crossed over the great bridge, there
went clanking by in chains a hundred conscripts, torn from their homes in
the Fayoum, bidding farewell for ever to their friends, receiving their
last offerings, for they had no hope of return.
Pages:
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148