with her own hands.  She also served them with milk, grapes and other fruit, her eyes sparkling with delight and gratified ambition; for the son of the great Mukaukas, the pride of the city, who in former years had often been her visitor, and not only for the sake of her cakes, in water parties with his gay companions—­mostly Greek officers who now were all dead and gone or exiles from the country—­now did her the honor to come here so soon after his return.  Her facile tongue knew no pause as she told him that she and her husband had gone forth with the rest to welcome him at the triumphal arch near Menes’ Gate, and Emau with them, and the little one.  Yes, Emau was married now, and had called her first child Orion.  And when the young man asked Dame Taus whether Emau was as charming as ever and as like her mother as she used to be, she shook her finger at him and asked in her turn, as she pointed towards the young lady, whether the fickle bird at whose departure so many had sighed, was to be caged at last, and whether yon fair lady....

But Orion cut her short, saying that he was still his own master though he already felt the noose round his neck; and the fair lady blushed even more deeply than at the good woman’s first question.  He however soon got over his awkwardness and gaily declared that the worthy Taus’ little daughter was one of the prettiest girls in Memphis, and had had quite as many admirers as her excellent mother’s puff-pastry.  Taus was to greet her kindly from him.

The landlady departed, much touched and flattered; Orion took up his lute, and while the ladies refreshed themselves he did the maiden’s bidding and sang the song by Alcaeus which she asked for, in a rich though subdued voice to the lute, playing it like a master.  The young girl’s eyes were fixed on his lips, and again, he seemed to be making music for her alone.  When it was time to start homewards, and the ladies returned to the barge, he went up to the inn to pay the reckoning.  As he presently returned alone the Arab saw him pick up a handkerchief that the young lady had left on the table, and hastily press it to his lips as he went towards the barge.

The gorgeous red blossoms had fared worse in the morning.  The young man’s heart was given to that maiden on the water.  She could not be his sister; what then was the connection between them?

The merchant soon gained this information, for the guide on his return could give it him.  She was Paula, the daughter of Thomas, the famous Greek general who had defended the city of Damascus so long and so bravely against the armies of Islam.  She was Mukaukas George’s niece, but her fortune was small; she was a poor relation of the family, and after her father’s disappearance—­for his body had never been found—­ she had been received into the governor’s house out of pity and charity —­she, a Melchite!  The interpreter had little to say in her favor, by reason of her sect; and though he could find no flaw