The old slave-woman had told me the truth. My new mistress,
Adilé-Hanoum, was good and kind, and to this day my heart is filled with
gratitude when I think of her.
Allah had certainly cared for me. So many of my companion-slaves had,
at ten years old, been obliged to go and live in some poor Mussulman's
house to do the rough work and look after the children. They had to live
in unhealthy parts of the town, and for them the hardships of poverty
were added to the miseries of slavery, whilst I had a most luxurious
life, and was petted and cared for by Adilé-Hanoum.
[Illustration: "MY MISTRESS BEAT TIME."]
I had only one trouble in my new home, and that was the cruelty and the
fear I felt of my little mistress's brother, Mourad-bey. It seemed as
though, for some inexplicable reason, he hated me; and he took every
opportunity of teasing me, and was only satisfied when I took refuge at
his sister's feet and burst into tears.
In spite of all this I liked Mourad-bey. He was six years older than I,
and was so strong and handsome that I could not help forgiving him; and,
indeed, I just worshipped him.
When Adilé-Hanoum was fourteen her parents engaged her to a young Bey
who lived at Salonica, and whom she would not see until the eve of her
marriage. This Turkish custom of marrying a perfect stranger seemed to
me terrible, and I spoke of it to my young mistress.
She replied in a resigned tone: "Why should we trouble ourselves about a
future which Allah has arranged? Each star is safe in the firmament, no
matter in what place it is."
* * * * *
One evening I was walking up and down on the closed balcony outside the
_haremlik_. I was feeling very sad and lonely, when suddenly I heard
steps behind me, and by the beating of my heart I knew that it was
Mourad-bey.
"Féliknaz," he said, seizing me by the arm, "what are you doing here,
all alone?"
"I was thinking of my country, Bey-Effendi. In our Circassia all men are
equal, just like the ears of corn in a field."
"Look up at me again like that, Féliknaz; your eyes are gloomy and
troubled, like the Bosphorus on a stormy day."
"It is because my heart is like that," I said, sadly.
"Do you know that I am going to be married?" he asked, after a moment's
silence.