If Victoria Ray had accepted Nevill Caird's invitation to be Lady
MacGregor's guest and his, at Djenan el Djouad, many things might have
been different. But she had wished to be independent, and had chosen to
go to the Hotel de la Kasbah.
When she went down to dinner in the _salle à manger_, shortly after
seven o'clock on the evening of her arrival, only two other tables were
occupied, for it was late in the season, and tourists were leaving
Algiers.
No one who had been on board the _Charles Quex_ was there, and Victoria
saw that she was the only woman in the room. At one table sat a happy
party of Germans, apparently dressed from head to foot by Dr. Jaeger,
and at another were two middle-aged men who had the appearance of
commercial travellers. By and by an elderly Jew came in, and dinner had
reached the stage of peppery mutton ragout, when the door opened again.
Victoria's place was almost opposite, and involuntarily, she glanced up.
The handsome Arab who had crossed from Marseilles on the boat saluted
her with grave courtesy as he met her look, and passed on, casting down
his eyes. He was shown to a table at some distance, the manner of the
Arab waiter who conducted him being so impressive, that Victoria was
sure the newcomer must be a person of importance.
He was beautifully dressed, as before, and the Germans stared at him
frankly, but he did not seem to be aware of their existence. Special
dishes arrived for him, and evidently he had been expected.
There was but one waiter to serve the meal, and not only did he somewhat
neglect the other diners for the sake of the latest arrival, but the
landlord appeared, and stood talking with the Arab while he ate, with an
air of respect and consideration.
The Germans, who had nearly finished their dinner when Victoria came in,
now left the table, using their toothpicks and staring with the
open-eyed interest of children at the picturesque figure near the door.
The commercial travellers and the Jew followed. Victoria also was ready
to go, when the landlord came to her table, bowing.
"Mademoiselle," he said, in French, "I am charged with a message from an
Arab gentleman of distinction, who honours my house by his presence.
Sidi Maïeddine ben el Hadj Messaoud is the son of an Agha, and therefore
he is a lord, and Mademoiselle need have no uneasiness that he would
condescend to an indiscretion. He instructs me to present his respectful
compliments to Mademoiselle, whom he saw on the ship which brought him
home, after carrying through a mission in France. Seeing that
Mademoiselle travelled alone, and intends perhaps to continue doing so,
according to the custom of her courageous and intelligent countrywomen,
Sidi Maïeddine wishes to say that, as a person who has influence in his
own land, he would be pleased to serve Mademoiselle, if she would honour
him by accepting his offer in the spirit in which it is made: that is,
as the chivalrous service of a gentleman to a lady. He will not dream of
addressing Mademoiselle, unless she graciously permits."
As the landlord talked on, Victoria glanced across the room at the Arab,
and though his eyes were bent upon his plate, he seemed to feel the
girl's look, as if by a kind of telepathy, instantly meeting it with
what seemed to her questioning eyes a sincere and disarming gaze.
"Tell Sidi Maïeddine ben el Hadj Messaoud that I thank him," she
answered, rewarded for her industry in keeping up French, which she
spoke fluently, with the Parisian accent she had caught as a child in
Paris. "It is possible that he can help me, and I should be glad to talk
with him."
"In that case Si Maïeddine would suggest that Mademoiselle grant him a
short interview in the private sitting-room of my wife, Madame Constant,
who will be honoured," the fat man replied promptly. "It would not be
wise for Mademoiselle to be seen by strangers talking with the
distinguished gentleman, whose acquaintance she is to make. This,
largely for her own sake; but also for his, or rather, for the sake of
certain diplomatic interests which he is appointed to carry out.
Officially, he is supposed to have left Algiers to-day. And it is by his
permission that I mention the matter to Mademoiselle."
"I will do whatever you think best," said Victoria, who was too glad of
the opportunity to worry about conventionalities. She was so young, and
inexperienced in the ways of society, that a small transgression against
social laws appeared of little importance to a girl situated as she was.
"Would the time immediately after dinner suit Mademoiselle, for Si
Maïeddine to pay his respects?"
Victoria answered that she would be pleased to talk with Si Maïeddine as
soon as convenient to him, and Monsieur Constant hurried away to prepare
his wife. While he was absent the Arab did not again look at Victoria,
and she understood that this reserve arose from delicacy. Her heart
began to beat, and she felt that the way to her sister might be opening
at last. The fact that she did feel this, made her tell herself that it
must be true. Instinct was not given for nothing!
She thought, too, of Stephen Knight. He would be glad to-morrow, when
meeting her at luncheon in his friend's house, to hear good news.
Already she had been to see Jeanne Soubise, in the curiosity-shop, and
had bought a string of amber prayer-beads. She had got an introduction
to the Governor from the American Consul, whom she had visited before
unpacking, lest the consular office should be closed for the day; and
she had obtained an appointment at the palace for the next morning; but
all that was not much to tell Mr. Knight. It seemed to her that even in
a few hours she ought to have accomplished more. Now, however, the key
of the door which opened into the golden silence might be waiting for
her hand.
In three or four minutes the landlord came back, and begged to show her
his wife's _petit salon_. This time as she passed the Arab she bowed,
and gave him a grateful smile. He rose, and stood with his head slightly
bent until she had gone out, remaining in the dining-room until the
landlord returned to say that he was expected by Mademoiselle.
"Remember," Si Maïeddine said in Arabic to the fat man, "everybody is to
be discreet, now and later. I shall see that all are rewarded for
obedience."
"Thou art considerate, even of the humblest," replied the half-breed,
using the word "thou," as all Arabs use it. "Thy presence is an honour
for my house, and all in it is thine."
Si Maïeddine--who had never been in the Hotel de la Kasbah before, and
would not have considered it worthy of his patronage if he had not had
an object in coming--allowed himself to be shown the door of Madame
Constant's salon. On the threshold, the landlord retired, and the young
man was hardly surprised to find, on entering, that Madame was not in
the room.
Victoria was there alone; but free from self-consciousness as she always
was, she received Si Maïeddine without embarrassment. She saw no reason
to distrust him, just because he was an Arab.
Now, how glad she was that she had learned Arabic! She began to speak
diffidently at first, stammering and halting a little, because, though
she could read the language well after nine years of constant study,
only once had she spoken with an Arab;--a man in New York from whom she
had had a few lessons. Having learned what she could of the accent from
phrase-books, her way had been to talk to herself aloud. But the flash
of surprised delight which lit up the dark face told her that Si
Maïeddine understood.
"Wonderful!" he exclaimed. "My best hope was that French might come
easily to thy lips, as I have little English."
"I have a sister married to one of thy countrymen," Victoria explained
at once. "I do not know where she is living, and it is in finding out,
that I need help. Even on the ship I wished to ask thee if thou hadst
knowledge of her husband, but to speak then seemed impossible. It is a
fortunate chance that thou shouldst have come to this hotel, for I think
thou wilt do what thou canst for me." Then she went on and told him that
her sister was the wife of Captain Cassim ben Halim, who had once lived
in Algiers.
Si Maïeddine who had dropped his eyes as she spoke of the fortunate
chance which had brought him to the hotel, listened thoughtfully and
with keen attention to her story, asking no questions, yet showing his
interest so plainly that Victoria was encouraged to go on.
"Didst thou ever hear the name of Cassim ben Halim?" she asked.
"Yes, I have heard it," the Arab replied. "I have friends who knew him.
And I myself have seen Cassim ben Halim."
"Thou hast seen him!" Victoria cried, clasping her hands tightly
together. She longed to press them over her heart, which was like a bird
beating its wings against the bars of a cage.
"Long ago. I am much younger than he."
"Yes, I see that," Victoria answered. "But thou knewest him! That is
something. And my sister. Didst thou ever hear of her?"
"We of the Mussulman faith do not speak of the wives of our friends,
even when our friends are absent. Yet--I have a relative in Algiers who
might know something, a lady who is no longer young. I will go to her
to-night, and all that is in her heart she will tell me. She has lived
long in Algiers; and always when I come, I pay her my respects. But,
there is a favour I would beg in return for any help I can give, and
will give gladly. I am supposed to be already on my way south, to finish
a diplomatic mission, and, for reasons connected with the French
government, I have had to make it appear that I started to-day with my
servant. There is also a reason, connected with Si Cassim, which makes
it important that nothing I may do should be known to thy European
friends. It is for his sake especially that I ask thy silence; and
whatsoever might bring harm to him--if he be still upon the earth--would
also harm thy sister. Wilt thou give me thy word, O White Rose of
another land, that thou wilt keep thine own counsel?"
"I give thee my word--and with it my trust," said the girl.
"Then I swear that I will not fail thee. And though until I have seen my
cousin I cannot speak positively, yet I think what I can do will be more
than any other could. Wilt thou hold thyself free of engagements with
thy European friends, until I bring news?"
"I have promised to lunch to-morrow with people who have been kind, but
rather than risk a delay in hearing from thee, I will send word that I
am prevented from going."
"Thou hast the right spirit, and I thank thee for thy good faith. But it
may be well not to send that message. Thy friends might think it
strange, and suspect thee of hiding something. It is better to give no
cause for questionings. Go then, to their house, but say nothing of
having met me, or of any new hope in thine heart. Yet let the hope
remain, and be to thee like the young moon that riseth over the desert,
to show the weary traveller a rill of sweet water in an oasis of date
palms. And now I will bid thee farewell, with a night of dreams in which
thy dearest desires shall be fulfilled before thine eyes. I go to my
cousin, on thy business."
"Good night, Sidi. Henceforth my hope is in thee." Victoria held out her
hand, and Si Maïeddine clasped it, bowing with the courtesy of his race.
He was nearer to her than he had been before, and she noticed a perfume
which hung about his clothing, a perfume that seemed to her like the
East, heavy and rich, suggestive of mystery and secret things. It
brought to her mind what she had read about harems, and beautiful,
languid women, yet it suited Si Maïeddine's personality, and somehow did
not make him seem effeminate.
"See," he said, in the poetic language which became him as his
embroidered clothes and the haunting perfume became him; "see, how thine
hand lies in mine like a pearl that has dropped into the hollow of an
autumn leaf. But praise be to Allah, autumn and I are yet far apart. I
am in my summer, as thou, lady, art in thine early spring. And I vow
that thou shalt never regret confiding thy hand to my hand, thy trust to
my loyalty."
As he spoke, he released her fingers gently, and turning, went out of
the room without another word or glance.
When he had gone, Victoria stood still, looking at the door which Si
Maïeddine had shut noiselessly.
If she had not lived during all the years since Saidee's last letter, in
the hope of some such moment as this, she would have felt that she had
come into a world of romance, as she listened to the man of the East,
speaking the language of the East. But she had read too many Arabic
tales and poems to find his speech strange. At school, her studies of
her sister's adopted tongue had been confined to dry lesson-books, but
when she had been free to choose her own literature, in New York and
London, she had read more widely. People whom she had told of her
sister's marriage, and her own mission, had sent her several rare
volumes,--among others a valuable old copy of the Koran, and she had
devoured them all, delighting in the facility which grew with practice.
Now, it seemed quite simple to be talking with Sidi Maïeddine ben el
Hadj Messaoud as she had talked. It was no more romantic or strange
than all of life was romantic and strange. Rather did she feel that at
last she was face to face with reality.
"He _does_ know something about Cassim," she said, half aloud, and
searching her instinct, she still thought that she could trust him to
keep faith with her. He was not playing. She believed that there was
sincerity in his eyes.
The next morning, when Victoria called at the Governor's palace, and
heard that Captain Cassim ben Halim was supposed to have died in
Constantinople, years ago, she was not cast down. "I know Si Maïeddine
doesn't think he's dead," she told herself.
There was a note for her at the hotel, and though the writer had
addressed the envelope to "Mademoiselle Ray," in an educated French
handwriting, the letter inside was written in beautiful Arab lettering,
an intentionally flattering tribute to her accomplishment.
Si Maïeddine informed her that his hope had been justified, and that in
conversation with his cousin his own surmises had been confirmed. A
certain plan was suggested, which he wished to propose to Mademoiselle
Ray, but as it would need some discussion, there was not time to bring
it forward before the hour when she must go out to keep her engagement.
On her return, however, he begged that she would see him, in the salon
of Madame Constant, where she would find him waiting. Meanwhile, he
ventured to remind her that for the present, secrecy was even more
necessary than he had at first supposed; he would be able to explain
why, fully and satisfactorily, when they met in the afternoon.
With this appointment to look forward to, it was natural that Victoria
should excuse herself to Lady MacGregor earlier than most people cared
to leave Djenan el Djouad. The girl was more excited than she had ever
been in her life, and it was only by the greatest self-control that she
kept--or believed that she kept--her manner as usual, while with Stephen
in the white garden of lilies. She was happy, because she saw her feet
already upon the path which would lead through the golden silence to her
sister; but there was a drawback to her happiness--a fly in the amber,
as in one of the prayer-beads she had bought of Jeanne Soubise: her
secret had to be kept from the man of whom she thought as a very staunch
friend. She felt guilty in talking with Stephen Knight, and accepting
his sympathy as if she were hiding nothing from him; but she must be
true to her promise, and Si Maïeddine had the right to exact it, though
of course Mr. Knight might have been excepted, if only Si Maïeddine knew
how loyal he was. But Si Maïeddine did not know, and she could not
explain. It was consoling to think of the time when Stephen might be
told everything; and she wished almost unconsciously that it was his
help which she had to rely upon now.