.
Aissa's question, repeated impatiently, interrupted his musings, and looking up at her face shining above him in the dim light of the fire he stretched his limbs luxuriously and obedient to her desire, he spoke slowly and hardly above his breath.

She, with her head close to his lips, listened absorbed, interested, in attentive immobility.

The many noises of the great courtyard were hushed up gradually by the sleep that stilled all voices and closed all eyes.

Then somebody droned out a song with a nasal drawl at the end of every verse.

He stirred.