Hastily the slaves fastened the locks of the trunk and Yamina, crouching down inside, heard slow footsteps approaching and knew that they had summoned the deaf mutes.
It was they who did all the carrying in the harem and, as they lifted up the trunk, Yamina wondered if they would query the fact that it was so heavy.
Then she remembered that they could not speak even as they could not hear. Nevertheless they had a kind of sign language of their own by which they could communicate with each other.
But apparently they were not suspicious and Yamina found herself being carried across the room and through the door, while Mihri’s voice ranted and raved at the slaves in a manner that was bound to distract their attention.
It was dark inside the trunk, but Yamina soon realised that on each sid
