controlled my voice.

"There is no cause for alarm," I added.

She stood watching me; even through the coarse veil I could see how
her eyes glittered. I stooped and picked up the net.

"Oh!" The whispered word was scarcely audible, but it was enough; I
doubted no longer.

"This is a net for bird snaring," I said. "What strange bird are you
seeking--Karamaneh?"

With a passionate gesture Karamaneh snatched off the veil, and with it
the ugly black hat. The cloud of wonderful, intractable hair came
rumpling about her face, and her glorious eyes blazed out upon me. How
beautiful they were, with the dark beauty of an Egyptian night; how
often had they looked into mine in dreams!

To labor against a ceaseless yearning for a woman whom one knows, upon
evidence that none but a fool might reject, to be worthless--evil; is
there any torture to which the soul of man is subject, more pitiless?
Yet this was my lot, for what past sins assigned to me I was unable to
conjecture; and this was the woman, this lovely slave of a monster,
this creature of Dr. Fu-Manchu.

"I suppose you will declare that you do not know me!" I said harshly.

Her lips trembled, but she made no reply.