French and Oriental Love in a Harem, page 209 by Mario Uchard
<< Return to Title Details & Download210
ty a vision of unexpected fortune, and that nothing could now divert her from this pursuit. I felt myself caught in their abominable toils.
Sitting motionless on her divan, with her hands folded over her knees, she regarded me in silence.
"Well!" I said, coming close to her again, "I can see that your maternal solicitude is all a question of money. For what sum will you sell me your daughter a second time, and go back to live by yourself in the East?"
She hesitated a moment, and then she said:
"I will tell you in a week's time."
By her deceitful looks I judged that she still placed some hope in Kiusko, and that she probably wished to wait until she could make sure about it, one way or the other--but from motives of discretion I held my tongue, and took leave of her.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER XVIII.
Events had succeeded each other with such strange rapidity since the day before, that I felt like one walking in a dream. First, Kondjé-Gul's revelations of her mother's duplicity, then my discussion with Daniel, and now finally this cynical dialogue with the Circassian, in the course of which she had just confessed her schemes quite openly; all these things had given such a succession of rude shocks to my spirit, which had been reposing until then in the tranquil assurance of undisturbed happiness, that I had hardly found time to estimate the extent of my misfortune. Overwhelmed with distress when I perceived the possibility of losing Kondjé-Gul, I almost thought I should go mad. I made a desperate struggle against the despair which was taking possession of my mind. It was necessary for me to carry on the contest in order to defend my very soul and life, yet I felt my soul slipping out of control. Like a mystic fascinated by his vision, I might have allowed myself to be deluded by a vain mirage of security, for I had never imagined that my rights could be dispute