I rose up to receive him, and he bowed with great
respect. 'Illustrious lady,' said he, 'my fortune is better than I had
presumed to hope; I am told, by my women, that I have a princess in my
camp.' 'Sir,' answered I, 'your women have deceived themselves and you;
I am not a princess, but an unhappy stranger, who intended soon to have
left this country, in which I am now to be imprisoned for ever.'
'Whoever, or whencesoever, you are,' returned the Arab, 'your dress, and
that of your servants, show your rank to be high, and your wealth to be
great. Why should you, who can so easily procure your ransome, think
yourself in danger of perpetual captivity? The purpose of my incursions
is to increase my riches, or, more properly, to gather tribute. The sons
of Ishmael are the natural and hereditary lords of this part of the
continent, which is usurped by late invaders, and low-born tyrants, from
whom we are compelled to take, by the sword, what is denied to justice.
The violence of war admits no distinction: the lance that is lifted at
guilt and power, will, sometimes, fall on innocence and gentleness.'
"'How little,' said I, 'did I expect that yesterday it should have
fallen upon me!'
"'Misfortunes,' answered the Arab, 'should always be expected. If the
eye of hostility could learn reverence or pity, excellence, like yours,
had been exempt from injury.
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