I
The next morning broke as all mornings break in the desert, first
yellow, then white, and always silent. The air bore the scent of sage.
The hobbled camels had broken every shrub within their reach, and
stunted herbage is, almost always, aromatic.
Abdullah gave no heed to the sun. He who for ten years had been the
most energetic man of the desert had overnight become the most
nonchalant. Like Achilles, he sulked in his tent.
At five o'clock Ali ventured to bring his master's coffee. He found
Abdullah fully dressed and reading a paper, which he hurriedly thrust
into his burnoose when he was interrupted.
"Your coffee, master," said Ali. "We have twelve leagues to make
to-day."
"Ali," said Abdullah, "the night before we started I asked you who
lived in the house with the green lattices--the next house beyond the
mosque--and you promised to tell me in the morning."
"Yes, master," said Ali, "but in the morning you did not ask me."
"I ask you now," said Abdullah.
Ali bowed. "Master," he answered, "the house is occupied by Ilderhim,
chief of the tribe of Ouled Nail. He hires it for five years, and he
occupies it for the three months, Chaban, Ramadan, and Chaoual, of each
year. He has also the gardens and four water-rights. He deals in ivory,
gold-dust, and dancing-girls. He formerly lived in Biskra, but the
French banished him. They have also banished him from Algiers, and he
has been warned from Cairo and Medina. He has a divorced wife in each
of those cities. They are the mothers of the dancing-girls. The one in
Biskra is Mirza. Every one in Biskra knows Mirza. Doubtless you,
master--"
"Yes," said Abdullah, "but the damsel. Who is she?"
"His daughter," replied Ali.
"How know you this?" demanded Abdullah, fiercely.
"Master," said Ali, "last night, when you were looking at the stars
with the mistress, I had a word with the maid. She came to me, while I
was asleep by the dun leader, and shook me as if I had been an old
friend.
"'Save her,' she whispered, as I rubbed my eyes.
"'Willingly,' I replied. 'Who is she?'
"'My mistress,' said the maid. 'They are taking her to Biskra. She has
been sold to Mirza. She will dance in the cafés. This sweet flower will
be cast into the mire of the market-place. Save her.'
"'How know you this?' I asked.
"'Ah,' she answered, 'this is not the first time I have crossed the
desert with one of Ilderhim's daughters. Save her.'
"'Does the damsel know nothing of this--does she not go with her eyes
open?' I asked.
"'She thinks,' said the maid, 'that she goes to Biskra to be taught the
manners and the learning of the French women--to read, to sing, to know
the world. Her heart is even fairer than her face. She knows no evil.
Save her.'"
Abdullah groaned and hung his head.
"Forgive me, Allah," he said, "for that I doubted her. Forgive me for
that I burned the flowers she gave to me," and he went out.
"Your coffee, master," cried Ali, but Abdullah paid no heed. He went
swiftly to the little tent, and there was the damsel, veiled, and
already mounted on the lame camel, ready to march.
"Beloved," said Abdullah, "you must dismount," and he lifted her from
the back of the kneeling beast.
"Ali," he cried, "place the damsel's saddle on the black racer, and put
mine on the dun. We two start on at once for the oasis of Zama. We can
make it in thirteen hours. Give us a small water-skin and some dates. I
leave everything else with you. Load, and follow us. We will wait for
you at Zama. I go to counsel with the Man who Keeps Goats."
In five minutes the black racer and the dun leader were saddled.
"Come, beloved," said Abdullah, and without a word she followed him.
She had asked no question, exhibited no curiosity. It was enough for
her that Abdullah said, "Come."
They rode in silence for some minutes. Then Abdullah said: "Beloved, I
do not know your name."
She dropped her veil, and his heart fell to fluttering.
"The one who loves me calls me 'beloved,'" she said, "and I like that
name."
"But your real name?" said Abdullah.
"I was baptized 'Fathma,'" she said, smiling.
"Doubtless," said Abdullah; "since all women are named for the mother
of the Prophet; but what is your other name, your house name?"
"Nicha," she answered; "do you like it?"
"Yes," he said, "I like it."
"I like 'beloved' better," said the girl.
"You shall hear it to your heart's content," said Abdullah.
They went on again, in silence, which was broken by the girl.
"Master," she said, "if you do not care to speak to me further, I will
put up my veil."
"Do not," exclaimed Abdullah, "unless," he added, "you fear for your
complexion."
"I do not fear for my complexion," said the girl, "but for my
reputation; and she smiled again.
"That," said Abdullah, "is henceforth in my keeping. Pay no heed to
it."
"I am not yet your wife," said the girl.
"True," said Abdullah, "and we are making this forced march to learn
how I may make you such. Who is your father, beloved?"
"Ilderhim," she answered; "but why do you ask? You saw him when we
started from El Merb."
"Do you love him?" asked Abdullah.
"I scarcely know," answered the girl, after a pause. "I have not seen
him often. He is constantly from home. He buys me pretty clothes and
permits me to go to the cemetery each Friday with my maid. I suppose I
love him--not as I love you, or as I love the camel that brought me to
you, or the sandal on your foot, or the sand it presses--still, I think
I must love him--but I never thought about it before."
"And your mother?" asked Abdullah.
"I have no mother," said the girl. "She died before I can remember."
"And why do you go to Biskra?" asked Abdullah.
"My father sends me," said the girl, "to a great lady who lives there.
Her name is Mirza. Do you not know her, since you lived in Biskra?"
Abdullah did not answer. Something suddenly went wrong with his saddle,
and he busied himself with it.
"I am to be taught the languages and the ways of Europe," continued the
girl, "music and dancing, and many things the desert cannot teach. I am
to remain two years, and then my father fetches me. Now that I consider
the trouble and expense he is put to on my account, surely I should
love him, should I not?"
Abdullah's saddle again required attention.
They rode for hours, sometimes speaking, sometimes silent. Twice
Abdullah passed dates and water to the girl, and always they pressed
on. A camel does not trot, he paces. He moves the feet of his right
side forward at once, and follows them with the feet of his left side.
This motion heaves the rider wofully. The girl stood it bravely for six
hours, then she began to droop. Abdullah watched her as her head sank
toward the camel's neck; conversation had long ceased. It had become a
trial of endurance. Abdullah kept his eye upon the girl. He saw her
head bending, bending toward her camel's neck; he gave the cry of halt,
leaped from the dun, while yet at speed, raced to the black, held up
his arms and caught his mistress as she fell.
There was naught about them save the two panting camels, the brown
sands, the blue sky, and the God of Love. Abdullah lifted her to the
earth as tenderly, as modestly, as though she had been his sister. It
is a fine thing to be a gentleman, and the God of Love is a great God.
It proved that the girl's faintness came from the camel's motion and
the cruel sun. Abdullah made the racer and the dun kneel close
together. He spread his burnoose over them and picketed it with his
riding-stick. This made shade. Then he brought water from the little
skin; touched the girl's lips with it, bathed her brow, sat by her,
silent, saw her sleep; knelt in the sand and kissed the little hand
that rested on it, and prayed to Him that some call God, and more call
Allah.