As he uttered this threat the merchant’s eyes glistened through tears; it grieved him to be unjustly suspected and to be forced to express himself so hardly to the Mukaukas for whom he felt both reverence and pity.  It was clear from the tone of his speech that he was in fact a determined and a powerful personage, and Orion interrupted him with the eager enquiry:  “Who has dared to think so basely of you?”

“Your own mother, I regret to say,” replied the Moslem sadly, with an oriental shrug of distress and annoyance—­his shoulders up to his ears.

“Forget it, I beg of you,” said the governor.  “God knows women have softer hearts than men, and yet they more readily incline to think evil of their fellow-creatures, and particularly of the enemies of their faith.  On the other hand they are more sensitive to kindness.  A woman’s hair is long and her wits short, says the saw.”

“You have plenty to say against us women!” retorted Neforis.  “But scold away—­scold if it is a comfort to you!” But she added, while she affectionately turned her husband’s pillows and gave him another of his white pillules:  “I will submit to the worst to-day for I am in the wrong.  I have already asked your pardon, worthy Haschim, and I do so again, with all my heart.”

As she spoke, she went up to the Arab and held out her hand; he took it, but lightly, however, and quickly released it, saying: 

“I do not find it hard to forgive.  But I find it impossible, here or anywhere, to let so much as a grain of dust rest on my bright good name.  I shall follow up this affair, turning neither to the right hand nor to the left.—­And now, one question:  Is the dog that guarded the tablinum a watchful, savage beast?”

“How savage he is he unfortunately proved on the person of the poor Persian slave; and his watchfulness is known to all the household,” cried Orion.

“But I would beg you, worthy merchant,” said Neforis, “and in the name of all present, to give us the help of your experience.  I myself—­wait a little wait:  in spite of her long hair and her short wits a woman often has a happy idea.  I, probably, was the first to come on the robber’s track.  It is clear that he must belong to the household since the dog did not attack him.  Paula, who was so wonderfully quick in coming to the rescue of the Persian, is of course not to be thought of. . .”

Here her husband interrupted her with an angry exclamation:  “Leave the girl quite out of the question wife!”

“As if I supposed her to be the thief!” retorted Neforis indignantly, and she shrugged her shoulders as Orion, in mild reproach, also cried:  “Mother! consider . . .” and the merchant asked: 

“Do you mean the young girl from whom I had to take such hard words last night?—­Well, then, I will stake my whole fortune on her innocence.  That beautiful, passionate creature is incapable of any underhand dealings.”

“Passionate!” Neforis smiled.  “Her heart is as cold and as hard as the lost emerald; we have proved that by experience.”