Meriem

“ With a wild whoop of exultation, twirling his musket high above his head and turning in his saddle to laugh back into the faces of his pursuers Abdul Kamak dashed out of the village of The Sheik and was swallowed up by the jungle.
Foaming with rage The Sheik ordered immediate pursuit, and then strode rapidly back to where Meriem sat huddled by the bushes where he had left her.
“The picture!” he cried. “What picture did the dog speak of? Where is it? Give it to me at once!” ”

“ There was a smile on her lips as she dropped to the ground to cross a little clearing where once had stood a native village surrounded by its fields. The ruined huts still stood in crumbling decay. The rank vegetation of the jungle overgrew the cultivated ground. Small trees already had sprung up in what had been the village street; but desolation and loneliness hung like a pall above the scene. To Meriem, however, it presented but a place denuded of large trees which she must cross quickly to regain the jungle upon the opposite side before Malbihn should have landed. ”

“ For nought can irk us more than envy and the eyes Of backbiters and spies, nor work us more dismay.
‘O my lady Meryem,’ said he, ‘what ails thee to weep?’ ‘I weep for the anguish of parting,’ answered she; ‘for my heart forebodes me thereof.’ Quoth he, ‘O lady of fair ones, and who shall part us, seeing that I love and tender thee above all creatures?’ And she replied, ‘And I love thee twice as well as thou me; but [blind] confidence in fortune still causes folk fall into affliction, and right well saith the poet ”

“ When she was whole of her sickness, she wished to accomplish her vow and her father despatched her to the convent in a little ship, with sundry knights and daughters of the chief men of the city to wait upon her. As they drew near the island, there came out upon them a ship of the ships of the Muslims, champions of the faith, warring in the way of God, who boarded the vessel and making prize of all who were therein, sold their booty in the city of Cairawan. Meryem herself fell into the hands of a Persian merchant, who was impotent and for whom no woman had ever discovered her nakedness ”

“ O Miriam, come to me, I need you more now than ever before. Come, I am waiting with outstretched arms.
Yes, she is coming. I see the yet distant form of the one I love. She is approaching, coming ever nearer. Miriam, what happiness we shall yet have together, in the dusk of our lives, what pleasant hours here by the fire—
Death, kindly death, come now to me. She passed by my shop and turned the corner and went toward the station. Her heart then is still cold as stone. ”

“ So haply God shall succour me with solace; for indeed He doth all solace neath the ribs of difficulty hide.
‘O princess,’ said the vizier’s daughter, ‘let not thy breast be straitened, but come with me straightway to the lattice; for there is with us in the stable a comely young man, slender of shape and sweet of speech, and meseemeth he is a lover separated [from his beloved] .’ ‘And by what sign knowest thou that he is a separated lover?’ asked Meryem. ”

“ But the time did not hang heavily on the hands of the two waiting in the little drawing-room, and Marie turned an uneasy glance toward the open door more than once at the sound of their laughter.
Barebone was riding a horse hired in the village of Mortagne, and quitted the château first, on foot, saying that the carriage must necessarily travel quicker than he, as his horse was tired. The night was dark, and darkest to the west, where lightning danced in and out among heavy clouds over the sea. ”

“ Miriam (Arabic Maryam) , is a Christian name, in Moslem lands. Abú Maryam “Mary’s father” (says Motarrazi on Al-Hariri, Ass. of Alexandria) is a term of contempt, for men are called after sons (e.g. Abu Zayd) , not after daughters. In more modern authors Abu Maryam is the name of ushers and lesser officials in the Kazi’s court.
486. This formality, so contrary to our Western familiarity after possession, is an especial sign of good breeding amongst Arabs and indeed all Eastern nations. It reminds us of the “grand manner” in Europe two hundred years ago, not a trace of which now remains. ”

“ Meryl knew instinctively he was putting some special restraint on himself, and the knowledge made her quietly glad, underneath the sudden pain of the knowledge that it was farewell. Back, in her vantage of shadow, she looked at him. And she saw, not for the first time, but perhaps more fully, that inner force in this man, which told any who had eyes to see and understanding to perceive, that nothing would turn him from a set purpose, if he were persuaded it was a right one; and whatever woman's arts she might possess, they would be as the waves against a granite rock. ”

“ Mérimée himself emphasises this almost constant motive of his fiction when he adds to one of his volumes of short stories some letters on a matter of fact—a Spanish bull-fight, in which those old Romans, he regretted, might seem, decadently, to have survived. It is as if you saw it. In truth, Mérimée was the unconscious parent of much we may think of dubious significance in later French literature. It is as if there were nothing to tell of in this world but various forms of hatred, and a love that is like lunacy; and the only other world, a world of maliciously active, hideous, dead bodies. ”

“ Framed by the mists, weathered but hale, he formed a classic portrait of savvy and determination. But was that enough? Only time, and agony, would tell.
At length Mary came back on deck with a lantern, bringing each of the men a steaming cup. Standing by her troubled companion, she offered to watch in his stead. But for all her courage she shook from the cold as badly as he, and her darkened eyes and sunken cheeks spoke plainly of the harrows of the cell.
“Thank you, my Mary,” he said to her. “But I’ve got to fight this last battle myself. ”

“ All the brooding anger that she had once seen in Stephen, the forerunner of violence, now showed itself in the girl, with a keener edge, and yet whiter fire.
“Mary, listen to me,” she whispered closely. “You must not do or say anything to upset him. Our lives, all of them, are in his hands.”
But her words were without effect. Mary stood like a fierce, enchanted statue, waiting only for the sculptor to finish, to come to life and fulfill its vengeful purpose. And when the last lock of hair was in place and bound she stalked silently from the room, following the startled servant. ”

“ Arsène bowed her head and her eyes were bathed in tears.
"Alas! madam," she said, sighing deeply, "you believe me to be better than I am. You believe me to be pious, but I am not very. I have never been taught, and if you saw me at the church, offering a wax-taper, it was because I didn't know which way to turn."
"Well, my dear, it was a happy thought. When trouble comes, always go to God for comfort."
"Somebody told me—that if I were to offer a wax-taper to Saint Roch—but no, madam, I ought not to tell you that. ”

“ Meri, with a broken heart, retained her self-possession, and tried to recall Regina to life.
"The king has then fallen on the battlefield in the midst of victory?" she asked.
"On the battlefield of Lützen, the 6th of November, and in the midst of a glorious victory," replied Lady Marta, more and more surprised at Meri's knowledge.
"Awake, gracious lady, he has lived and died like a hero, worthy of the admiration of the whole world. He has fallen in the hour of triumph, in the highest lustre of his glory; his name will live in all times, and his name we will both bless." ”

“ No one can read the secrets of Meriel’s heart. She was happy in one thing, at least—that the time of her loneliness was short, and I think there are none among you who will deny that Meriel is happy now. Whatever may be your creeds, you will agree that such brave, unselfish giving is a garnering of wealth for the life that is to come. We may be satisfied that Meriel has come into her kingdom!” She paused just for a moment, then with a challenging smile turned towards Val Lessing, who sat on her right. ”

“ Suppose the old woman lets the house to women who are equal to accosting men who pass by in the street; there are old women sufficiently depraved to drive such a trade."
"Wonderful," I said. "Then I must look like a saint, for the old dame never suggested any such offers. You insult me. Besides, my friend, remember the furnishing of the house: a man must be possessed by the devil to be satisfied with it."
"Then it is a ghost, there can be no doubt about it. But wait a bit, I have still another idea. You have mistaken the house — ah! that is it; near a garden? With a little low door to it. ”

“ To my thinking, Mérimée has here "kept the keeping," restrained his foot from ever stepping out of the enchanted circle, in a way that has never been surpassed. You could not have a better teller of such a story than the matter-of-fact but by no means milksop or merely pedantic hunter of Lithuanian irregular verbs; you could not put the setting better; you could not arrange a heroine more tempting and more provoking, or sketch an impossible-probable hero more convincingly. Every page of the history is a miracle ”

“ Merimee had a certain fascination of manner, and the predatory instincts of George Sand were again aroused. One day, when she felt bored and desperate, Merimee paid his court to her, and she listened to him. This is one of the most remarkable of her intimacies, since it began, continued, and ended all in the space of a single week. When Merimee left Nohant, he was destined never again to see George Sand, except long afterward at a dinner-party, where the two stared at each other sharply, but did not speak. ”

“ Meryl remarked. "You never have been yet."
"That's where you are mistaken, my dear. When you are sitting in a lovely romance, gazing at a dreadfully handsome, distinguished-looking man who is the hero prince, and will presently discover you and smile divinely with all his soul in his eyes, and when instead an iron-visaged person looks up at you, and scowls and grows as black as thunder, I defy any woman not to find herself at a disadvantage." ”

“ Be sparing of your blame to one enslaved of heart, Whose body’s worn with love and disappointment’s smart,
Nor at his passion launch reproach’s poisoned dart, For none more wretched is than lovers torn apart.
⁠Yet is love’s bitter sweet of savour, will or nill.
Quoth the vizier’s daughter to her, ‘What ails thee, O princess, to be sick at heart and melancholy?’ Whereupon Meryem recalled the greatness of the delights that were past and recited the following verses:
I will th’ estrangement of my love with fortitude abide, Whilst down my cheeks the pearls of tears in chains unending glide ”

“ It is necessary to heal the body; the soul is sick also, but I charge myself with its healing."
She arose as she said that, and folding a little roll of gold pieces:
"Take this," she said; "if you have a wish for anything——"
And she slipped her little present under the pillow.
"No, madam," cried Arsène, impetuously thrusting the paper aside, "I wish nothing of you but what you have promised. Farewell, we shall never meet again. Have me taken to a hospital, that I may die without troubling any one. You would never be able to make anything of me. A great lady like you will have prayed for me ”

“ Send for The Bear, and compel him to make the best of the awful fact that Meryl possesses a fortune, and console dear Dutch Willie myself, I suppose!..." And she smiled grimly. Then her face softened, and tears unexpectedly gleamed in her eyes. She brushed them away, apostrophising herself impatiently. Then she swallowed down a sob, murmuring, "I can't bear the thought of Meryl, standing with that smile on her lips and that expression in her eyes, to be fitted for her wedding-dress. It makes one want to tear the whole world to pieces, and sink South Africa in the nethermost ocean. ”

“ And Septimus Marvin's reflective “Yes—yes,” as he paused in his walk and looked seaward, came in appropriately as a grave confirmation of Miriam's jesting statement.
“Yes—yes,” he repeated, turning toward Barebone, who stood listening to the boy's chatter. “You find us as you left us, Loo. Was it six months ago? Ah! How time flies when one remains stationary. For you, I dare say, it seems more.”
“For me—oh yes, it seems more,” replied Barebone, with his gay laugh, and a glance toward Miriam. ”

“ The Count and porter followed closely; the physician Baumgarten was a little behind, divided between his fears of being left alone and of being exposed to the consequences of what promised to be such a strange adventure.
"Go no further, Sire," exclaimed the porter. "Upon my soul, there is sorcery behind this. At such an hour . . . and since the death of the Queen, your gracious wife . . , they say she walks in this gallery. . . . May God protect us! "
" Stop, Sire," entreated the Count in turn. " Do you not hear the noise that comes from the assembly hall? ”

“ The later peasants' houses have more rooms.
"Why is not one of my own family at this moment King of Sweden?" Thus it ran.
At times Meri raises her mild blue eyes from the Holy Book and regards her old father with anxious looks. She, too, looks older; the quiet sorrow lies like the autumn over green groves; it neither breaks or kills, but makes the fresh leaves wither on the tree of life. Meri's glance is full of peace and submission. ”