Desert Air | Page 4

I asked in joke.
"As I spoke a handsome Arab, splendidly dressed in a pale blue robe,
red gaiters and boots, and a turban of fine muslin, spangled with gold,
passed us slowly, going towards the dancing-house. He cast a glance
full of suspicion and malice at Marnier.

"'What's up with that fellow?' I said, startled.
"The Arab went on, and at that moment the faithful Safti joined us. He
never left me long out of his sight in these outlandish places.
"'That is the Batouch Sidi, the brother of the Caïd of Beni-Kouidar,' he
said. 'Algia, the dancer to whom Monsieur Henri has just given money,
is his chère amie. But as the government has just made him a sheik, he
dares not have her in his house for fear of the scandal. So he has put her
with the dancers. That is why she dances, to deceive everyone, not to
make money. She is not as the other dancers. But everyone knows, for
Batouch is mad with jealousy. He cannot bear that Algia should dance
before strangers, but what can he do? A sheik must not have a scandal
in his dwelling.'
"We walked on slowly. When we got to the door of the 'Rendezvous
des Amis' Marnier stood still again, and looked down the deserted,
moonlit camel market.
"'I never knew air like this,' he said in a low voice.
"And once more he expelled the air from his lungs, and drew in a long,
slow breath, as a man does when he has finished his dumbbell exercise
in the morning.
"'Don't drink too much of it,' I said. 'Remember what the aumônier told
us!'
"Marnier looked at me. I thought there was something apprehensive in
his eyes. But he said nothing, and we turned in.
"The next day I rode out with Safti into the desert to visit a sacred
personage of great note in the Sahara, Sidi El Ahmed Ben Daoud
Abderahmann. To my relief Marnier declined to come. He said he was
tired, and would stroll about the city. When we got back at sundown
the innkeeper handed me a note. I opened it, and found it was from the
aumônier, saying that he would be greatly obliged if I would call and
see him on my return, as he had various little curiosities which he

would be glad to show me. Marnier was not in the inn, and, as I had
nothing particular to do, I walked at once to the aumonier's house. As I
have said, it was the last in the town. The dancing-house was on the
opposite side of the way; but the aumonier's dwelling jutted out a little
farther into the desert, and looked full on a deep depression of soft sand
bounded by a big dune, which loomed up like a couchant beast in the
fading yellow light.
"The aumônier met me at his door, and escorted me into a pleasant
room, where his collection of Arab weapons, coins, and old vases, cups,
and various utensils, dug up, he told me, at Tlemcen, was arranged. But
to my surprise he scarcely took time to show it to me before he said:
"'Though a stranger, may I venture to speak rather intimately to you,
monsieur?'
"'Certainly,' I replied, in some astonishment.
"'Your friend is young.'
"'Marnier?'
"'Is that his name? Well, I would not leave him to stroll about too much
alone, if I were you.'
"'Why, monsieur?'
"'He is likely to get into trouble. The people here are a wild and violent
race. He would do well to bear in mind the saying of a traveller who
knew the desert men better than most people:
"If you want to be friendly with them, and safe among them, give
cigarettes to the men, and leave the women alone.
"'I see a good deal, monsieur, owing to the situation of my little house.'
"I looked at him in silence. Then I said:
"'What have you seen?'

"He led me to the door, and pointed towards the great dune beyond the
dancing-house.
"I saw your friend this afternoon talking there with one whom it is
especially unsafe to be seen with in Beni-Koujtlar.'
"'With whom?'
"'A dancer called Àlgia.'
"'Talking, monsieur! Marnier knows no Arabic.'
"The aumônier pursed his lips in his black beard.
"'The conversation appeared to be carried on by signs,' he responded.
'That did not make it less but more dangerous.'
"I'm afraid I was rude, and whistled softly.
"'Monsieur l'Aumônier,' I said, 'you must forgive me, but this air is
certainly the very devil.'
"He smiled, not without irony.
"'I became aware of that myself, monsieur, when first I came to live in
Beni-Kouidar. But I am a priest, and--well, monsieur, I was given the
strength to say: "Get thee