French and Oriental Love in a Harem | Page 2

his escape, when
one fine day he found his services in request just at the right time by

the Sultan, who appointed him Pasha, giving him a command in the
Syrian wars. What circumstance was it that cut short his political career?
How was it that he obtained from the Pope the title of Count of the
Holy Empire? Nobody knows.
All that is certain is that Barbassou-Pasha, tired of his honours and
having returned two years since to settle down in Provence, started off
one morning for Africa, on a ship that he had bought at Toulon.
Henceforth he devoted himself to the spice trade.
It was after one of these voyages that he published his celebrated
ontological monograph upon the negro races, a work which created
some stir and gained for him a most flattering report from the
Academy.
These leading events of his Odyssey being known, the more private
facts and deeds of the life of Barbassou-Pasha are lost in obscurity. As
for his physical characteristics, you will remember the great Marseillais
six-foot high, with sinewy frame and muscles of steel; your mind's eye
can picture still the formidable, bearded face, the savage and terrible
eye, the rough voice, the complete type in short of "the pirate at his
ease," as you used to say, when laughing sometimes at his quiet
humour. After all, an easy-going soul, and the best of uncles!
As for my own recollections, so far back as they go, the following is all
I have ever known of him. Being continually at sea, he had placed me
at school quite young. One year, while at his château at Férouzat, he
sent for me during the holidays. I was six years old, and saw him for
the first time. He held me up in his arms to examine my face and
features, then turning me gently round in the air, he felt my sides, after
which--satisfied, no doubt, as to my build--he put me down again with
great care, as if afraid of breaking me.
"Kiss your aunt!" he said.
I obeyed him.
My aunt at that time was a very handsome young woman of twenty-two

to twenty-four, a brunette with great black, almond-shaped eyes, and
fine features on a perfect oval face. She placed me on her knees and
covered me with kisses, lavishing on me the most tender expressions,
among which she mingled words of a foreign language which sounded
like music, so sweet and harmonious was her voice. I conceived a great
affection for her. My uncle let me do just as I liked, and allowed no
hindrances to be put in my way. Thus it happened that at the end of my
holidays I did not want to return to school again, and should certainly
have succeeded in getting my way, if it had not been that
Barbassou-Pasha's ship was waiting for him at Toulon.
You may imagine with what joy I returned to Férouzat the next year.
My uncle welcomed me with the same delight, and betook himself to
the same examination of my physical structure. When his anxieties
were satisfied, he said to me--
"Kiss your aunt!"
I kissed my aunt: but, as I kissed her, I was rather surprised to find her
very much altered. She had become fair and pink-complexioned. A
certain firm and youthful plumpness, which suited her remarkably well,
gave her the appearance of a girl of eighteen. Being more bashful than
at our former interview, she tendered me her fresh cheeks with a blush.
I noticed also that her accent had undergone a modification, and now
very much resembled the accent of one of my school-fellows who was
Dutch. As I expressed my surprise at these changes, my uncle informed
me that they had just returned from Java. This explanation sufficed for
me, I did not ask any more questions, and henceforth I accustomed
myself every year to the various metamorphoses of my aunt. The
metamorphosis which pleased me the least was that which she
contracted after a voyage to Bourbon, from which she returned a
mulattress, but without ceasing still to be remarkably handsome. My
uncle, it should be mentioned, was always very good to her, and I have
never known a happier household.
Unfortunately Barbassou-Pasha, being engaged in important affairs,
stayed away three years, and when I returned to Férouzat, he kissed me
and received me by himself. When I asked after my aunt, he told me

that he was a widower. As this misfortune did not appear to affect him
very seriously, I made up my mind to treat it with the same indifference
that he did.
Since that time I never saw any woman at the château, except once in
an isolated part of the park, where I met two shadowy beings,