The Bride of the Nile — Complete by Georg Ebers (best historical fiction books of all time txt) 📖

the great emerald, which had meanwhile been brought back again to Memphis. Justinus and Martina always remained on terms of cordial friendship with the young Mukaukas and his wife: Nilus lived long after to perform his duties with industry and judgment; and whenever Haschim came to Alexandria there was a contest between Orion and Philippus, for neither would yield him to the other. But Philip could no longer envy his former rival the wife he had won. He had not, indeed, ceased to admire her; but at the same time he would say: “My comfortable little Pulcheria has not her match; our rooms would be too small for Paula, but they suit my golden-haired girl best.”

He remained unselfishly devoted to his work till the end, and, when he saw Orion wearing himself out in energetic toil, he would often say: “He knows now what life demands, and acts accordingly; and that is why he grows no older, and his laugh is as winning and gay as ever. It is an honor to be called friend by a woman who like the Bride of the Nile. saved herself from certain death, and a man who, like the young Mukaukas, has freed himself from the heaviest of all curses.”

To this day the Bride of the Nile is not forgotten. Before the river begins to rise on the Night of Dropping the inhabitants of the town of Cairo, which grew up after the ruin of Memphis, on the eastern shore by the side of Fostat, erect a figure of clay, representing a maiden form, which they call Aroosa or the Bride.

ETEXT EDITOR’S BOOKMARKS: A knot can often be untied by daylight Abandon to the young the things we ourselves used most to enjoy Ancient custom, to have her ears cut off Caught the infection and had to laugh whether she would or no Gave them a claim on your person and also on your sorrows Hatred and love are the opposite ends of the same rod He was made to be plundered How could they find so much pleasure in such folly In whom some good quality or other may not be discovered Life is not a banquet Life is a function, a ministry, a duty Love has two faces: tender devotion and bitter aversion Of two evils it is wise to choose the lesser Old age no longer forgets; it is youth that has a short memory Prepared for the worst; then you are armed against failure Sea-port was connected with Medina by a pigeon-post Self-interest and egoism which drive him into the cave So hard is it to forego the right of hating Spoilt to begin with by their mothers, and then all the women Talk of the wolf and you see his tail Temples of the old gods were used as quarries The man who avoids his kind and lives in solitude Thin-skinned, like all up-starts in authority Those who will not listen must feel Use their physical helplessness as a defence Who can hope to win love that gives none Who can take pleasure in always seeing a gloomy face? Women are indeed the rock ahead in this young fellow’s life You have a habit of only looking backwards

End of Project Gutenberg’s The Bride of the Nile, Complete, by Georg Ebers