"Theodora," he cried, "little lost one. Ah, ah, merciful and compassionate God. Do you not remember, my little one? Do you not know? Your father--am I not he whom you called 'father' as soon as you saw me? God put that word in your mouth, my darling. God sent me to fetch you; and I who would have murdered you--O blessed Mother of compassion and sorrows--I--Theodora, Theodora--the gift of God." Thus spoke they together, with many questions and answerings, till Andréa was certain and content. CHAPTER XII THE SEARCH FOR SULEIMA Half an hour after they had gone Nicholas had made his way down to where he was told Abdul Achmet's house stood, mindful of his promise to Mitsos. Two or three of the Argives, who had taken possession of it, and were ransacking the rooms for booty, stood at the door, and told him that the prize was theirs. "Oh, man," said Nicholas, "I come not for booty; the gold is yours. But there is a Greek woman in the house; it is she whom I seek." The men still seemed disposed to resent his entry, but they knew him, and, even in the face of all the disgrace the captains had charged, believed him clean-handed. "Come," said he again, "I take nothing from the house, and when I go out you shall search me if you will. Only take me to where the women are." The women of the harem had been locked into the room overlooking the narrow street by which Suleima had fled, while the men searched the rest of the house; and Nicholas, hearing that the mayor, Demetri, was of the party, told him what he wanted. "Of course you can go in; friend," he said. "Here, one of you, take him to the room." The women were sobbing and wailing together, and one cried out in Turkish as Nicholas entered: "Kill us if you will, but be quick." "I touch you not," said Nicholas. "Tell me, is there not a Greek woman among you?" Zuleika, for it was she who had spoken, stopped crying for amazement. "She has gone," she said. "Oh, that I had gone with her. She would not stop within, but went down-stairs and out, I suppose. And in a few days, perhaps sooner, will her baby be born. Oh, what are you going to do with us?" And she caught hold of him by the arm. Nicholas disengaged her fingers, but gently. "You are sure she has gone?" he said. Then to the soldiers who were with him: "Will you allow me to search the other rooms; it is only she whom I want?" "And what should you want with her?" said one of them, gruffly. "All that is in the house is ours." "Oh, man, do not be a fool," said Nicholas. "The woman is a free Greek, and free she shall be. She was carried off by this Turk years ago. Come, let me go into the other rooms to be sure she is not here, for if she is not I must seek her outside. It is a promise, and a promise to little Mitsos."