The Argosy — page 323: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

304 Sabrina. “Gone to her own place.” “e. harem?” “She is dead,” he said, earnestly. ‘‘ That is a sketch for a larger picture.” ‘And you come to ask us to share your grief ? ” “No,” he cried. ‘‘ How can you wrong me so? Indeed, I never loved her. I will tell you all about it, if you will listen.” ‘T am all attention,” I replied; and he began. ‘‘ Four months ago we were at a place called Asyoot, on the Nile: a friend and I, that is to say. Considine is not a bad fellow, though he is only an amateur and daubs fearfully: we got on very well together. Asyoot is a dry dusty hole in the daytime, with white walls and deep shadows. In the sunset it appears like Paradise, though morally it is the very reverse. Considine fell into mischief and I went to help him out and got into trouble myself, seeing this girl among the dancers.” You fell in love with her ?” ‘No, indeed ; but she—well, she did with me, while I was painting her. Don’t laugh, please.” *‘T was not laughing I assure you.” *¢ Some one was.” “Ne, nO; £O On” ‘T was horrified. She fell ill, and when she seemed dying I bought her.” “ Bought her!” “Ves, it seemed the best thing to do. Her people were only too glad to be rid of her, and I took her to a convent which was not far off, meaning to leave her there to be educated if she recovered. 1 did not want to.marry her. When we returned from the cataracts she was really dying, of low fever they said. Well, she died.” ‘What else ?” ‘‘ After we had left her at the convent we went up the river. The whole land is asleep, and the spirit of the landscape lulled me into repose ; I was content to remember Zenobi; the future was dim as a dream. I scarcely touched a brush.” ‘* Lotus-eating ?” “Ves, In this state I fell asleep one noon, when there was not a breath of air to stir the plumes of the palms, and the very crocodiles had hidden their ugly snouts. I dreamt that I was still on the boat but it was evening, and the air was full of that soft primrose light of which I longed to reproduce the transparent clearness. On the shore stood Zenobi, with kisses hovering on her lips as she bent towards me with outstretched hands. Far above in the blue was Sabrina, just as I had painted her in my picture. I cried to her across space, but she did not answer. I knew then that I loved her. The girl below faded away, and I awoke.” ‘But what should you have done with Zenobi if she had lived ?” CONE NOOO KS