"Hear him, O Moslim," said Muktar; "he speaks like a priest, but give me the rebeb; here goes, for a soldier's song:--
"Charging steeds, and beautiful girls, And the wine in the glass that laughs; Are joys unbought by gold or pearls, So I sing to my friend who quaffs. _Refrain_--Qua ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs, La ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs.
The wine laughs out with a ruby eye, The sweet girl, with a soft eye black; From my courser's eye the bright sparks fly, As he speeds like the cloudy rack. Qua ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs, La ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs.
After madding race, I reach the place Where my houri, in crystal slim, Gives me rosy wine, with smiling face, When her lips have first kissed the brim. Qua ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs, La ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs.
Then joy to the horse, with the rushing feet, To the girl whose dark eye laughs; And joy let us drink, in the red, red wine, Thus I sing to my friend who quaffs. Qua ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs, La ha ha: ha ha ha: ha haffs."
"A song of Paradise!" said Cassim; "these are also God's blessings, O Muktar; some love one thing and some another."
Calls to horse now stopped their further amusement, and, striking their tents and collecting their carpets, they were soon all mounted, and accompanying the Sultan on his return to the town.
The Sultan being sufficiently recovered from his fatigue, was reclining in his half-open tent, when it occurred to him to examine the paper which had been taken from the Marabt. He opened and began reading it carelessly, but before he had finished, his face was livid, for it proved that treachery was at work among his own personal attendants.
"God is great!" he ejaculated, "God is my protection. A conspiracy! The address--Abdslem Ibn Hadj,--the slave! And the seal, Sheik Hamed of the Lion Tribes!" then raising his voice, "Who waits?"
"My lord's slave," answered Abd el Aziz, who was on guard, and coming forward.
"The spy that was taken this morning, let him be taken outside the camp and return to me with his head!--Go!" said the Sultan.
"On my head and eyes;" and Abd el Aziz receiving a token from the Sultan, went out immediately to obey his orders.
The guards whom he summoned, astonished and awed by the sudden command, mechanically obeyed, and in spite of his prayers and entreaties the Marabt was forthwith decapitated, and his head, still dripping with blood, carried by the lock of hair on his crown, and laid by Abd el Aziz in view of the Sultan, saying, "Behold the traitor's head! thus perish the enemies of the Khalifa!"
