French and Oriental Love in a Harem - Page 44/178

With these words, I picked up her feridjié, and took her back to the

harem. A pale light was shining through the windows of the drawing-room.

Hadidjé, Nazli, and Zouhra were still there. To describe the terror

which came over their faces directly I appeared, would be impossible.

Hearing steps in the night, they made sure their last moments had

arrived. At the sound of the door opening, they cried out loud--the

three poor miserable things took refuge in a corner.

When they saw me enter with Kondjé-Gul, they were thrown into a great

consternation. With a few words I reassured them at once.

As to Mohammed, it was impossible to find him. I will confess, moreover,

that I felt very little interest in searching for him--I was far from

ill-pleased with the thought that he was paying for the trouble which

his stupidity had caused my poor darlings, by a night of fear and

trembling.

My lamb having returned to the fold, I eventually retraced my steps to

the château.

Is it necessary to tell you that the surprising events of the day had

caused me emotions which I was scarcely able to understand?

My uncle's resurrection-Lefébure-The Changallas-The camels-They all kept my brain at work the whole night long.