"Keep your eye on me all the time, won't you?" she said to me as she
picked up her long skirt.
Soon we saw her reach the verandah without any adventure. She ascended
the steps and passed in front of Kondjé-Gul. It seemed to us that
Kondjé-Gul spoke very passionately to her, and that she answered her in
the same tones. At last they both had gone in, when all at once we heard
piercing shrieks. Apprehending some skirmishing between my two jealous
houris, I rushed off, followed at a distance by Zouhra and Nazli, who
were frightened at the thought of being left alone. As I entered the
harem I found Hadidjé and Kondjé-Gul, with their hair dishevelled and
their clothes torn, struggling together. Kondjé-Gul was armed with a
little golden dagger, which she wore in her hair, and was striking
Hadidjé with it. When she saw me she fled and ran to her room to shut
herself in.
We hastened to the assistance of poor Hadidjé. She had been wounded on
the shoulder, and blood was flowing. Happily the weapon, too harmless to
wound seriously, had not penetrated the flesh; but, breaking with the
blow, it had scratched her rather severely. I soon felt reassured, and
quieted her cries, but not without some trouble.
Mohammed and the servants had run up to the rescue; I sent them all
back, and after calming Nazli and Zouhra, I staunched the wound with
some water. In a few minutes, Hadidjé, who had fancied herself murdered,
regained her tranquillity of mind, and only complained just enough to
keep alive our interest in her grievance.
Then I questioned her, and she told us that as soon as she had entered
the drawing-room, Kondjé-Gul followed her, and giving vent there and
then to an outburst of passion, accused her of being the cause of her
disgrace, reproaching her with hypocritical devices for getting over me.
Hadidjé, according to her version of the affair, had only replied with
extreme moderation, when Kondjé-Gul, exasperated all of a sudden, rushed
at her with her dagger.
I knew Hadidjé's character too well to place an implicit belief in the
whole of this account; still it was important to put an end to such
escapades. The happiness of my household, which had hitherto been so
peaceful, was endangered if I failed to act like a just but strict
husband. After this outrage committed by Kondjé-Gul, my houris, in their
indignation, insisted upon a signal vengeance, and demanded forthwith
that I should deliver her up to the cadi. The cadi! that was coming
it strong. I had some difficulty, however, in overcoming their
persistency; at last they agreed to a less tragic form of punishment,
which went no further than the expulsion of this unworthy companion from
the harem.