Mourad loved me, I think, more and more, and when a little son was born
to us it seemed as though my cup of happiness was full. I had only one
trouble: the knowledge of the hatred of my slaves; and after the birth
of my little boy, that increased, for in the East, the only bond which
makes a marriage indissoluble is the birth of a child.
[Illustration: "SLAVES."]
When our little son was a few months old Mourad went to spend a week
with his father, who was then living at Béïcos. I did not mind staying
alone for a few days, as all my time was taken up with my baby-boy. I
took entire charge of him, and would not trust anyone else to watch over
him at all.
* * * * *
One night, when eleven o'clock struck, everything was silent in the
harem; evidently everyone was asleep.
Suddenly the door of my room was pushed open, and I saw the face of one
of my slaves. She was very pale, and said in a defiant tone, "Fire,
fire! The _conak_ (house) is on fire!" Then she laughed, a terrible,
wild laugh it was too, and she locked my door and rushed away. Fire!
Why, that meant ruin and death!
I had jumped up immediately, and now rushed to the window. There was a
red glow in the sky over our house and I heard the crackling of wood and
saw terrible smoke. Nearly wild with fright I took my child in my arms,
snatched up my case of jewels, and wrapping myself up in a long white
_simare_, I hurried to the door. Alas! it was too true; the girl had
indeed locked it! The window, with lattice-work outside, looked on to a
paved court-yard, and my room was on the second floor of the house. I
heard the cry of "_Yanghen var!_" (fire, fire) being repeated like an
echo to my misery.
"Oh, Allah!" I cried, "my child, my child!" A shiver ran through me at
the horrible idea of being burned alive and not being able to save him.
I called out from the window, but all in vain. The noisy crowd on the
other side of the house, and the crackling of the wood, drowned the
sound of my voice.
I did my utmost to keep calm, and I walked again to the door and shook
it with all my strength; then I went and looked out of the window, but
that only offered us a speedy and certain death. I could now hear the
sound of the beams giving way overhead. Had I been alone I should
undoubtedly have fainted, but I had my child, and so I was obliged to be
brave.
Suddenly an idea came to me. There was a little closet leading out of my
room, in which we kept extra covers and mattresses for the beds. There
was a small window in this closet looking on to the roof of the stables.
This was my only hope or chance. I fastened my child firmly to me with a
wide silk scarf, and then I got out of the window and dropped on to the
roof of the stable, which was about two yards below. Everything around
me was covered with smoke, but fortunately there were gusts of wind,
which drove it away, enabling me to see what I was doing. From the roof
to the ground I had to let myself down, and then jump. I sprained my
wrist and hurt my head terribly in falling, but my child was safe. I
rushed across the court-yard and out to the opposite side of the road,
and had only just time to sit down behind a low wall away from the
crowd, when I fainted away.
[Illustration: "I GOT OUT OF THE WINDOW."]