Page:The Celebrated Romance of the Stealing of the Mare.djvu/65

And thy damsel chid me saying, ' There is no nobility in thee,
By my faith thou art no Sheykh, rather a spy and a traitor.'
And I was afar in Sham at the evening hour when thou calledst.
Crying aloud for help, and I snatched thee from thy peril."
And I said, " Now go in peace, thou daughter of the Princes."
But she held me by the neck and stretched her arms entreating.
" Tell me thy tale," said she, " for know, I am Jaber's daughter ;
Why shouldst thou fear to speak .^ Tell of thy tribe and people,
And peace be with thee ever, even to the day of judgment.
Alia am I of Agheyl, and Fadel is my father :
First of the horsemen he, the mightiest, the most noble.
And my mother's name Kanua, one of illustrious lineage.
Tell me thou of thy Arabs, thy house and thy connection.
So shall my heart be at rest." But I, " Alas, O Alia,
What if the news should fly, and thy tribe slay the stranger ?
Stretch forth thy hand to me, in covenant between us.
Whoso then shall betray, let him be as an unbeliever."
And I stretched my hand to her hand and touched it with my fingers.