If he could induce her to take this step,
her marriage with the Christian would be dissolved, and then there
would be nothing to prevent him from making her the last and
brightest of his wives. The Sheik was a practical man, and quickly
began his attack upon the theological opinions of the bride. He
did not assail her with the eloquence of any imaums or Mussulman
saints; he did not press upon her the eternal truths of the "Cow,"
{41} or the beautiful morality of "the Table"; {42} he sent her no
tracts, not even a copy of the holy Koran. An old woman acted as
missionary. She brought with her a whole basketful of arguments--
jewels and shawls and scarfs and all kinds of persuasive finery.
Poor Mariam! she put on the jewels and took a calm view of the
Mahometan religion in a little hand-mirror; she could not be deaf
to such eloquent earrings, and the great truths of Islam came home
to her young bosom in the delicate folds of the cashmere; she was
ready to abandon her faith.
The Sheik knew very well that his attempt to convert an infidel was
illegal, and that his proceedings would not bear investigation, so
he took care to pay a large sum to the Governor of Nablus in order
to obtain his connivance.
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