French and Oriental Love in a Harem | Page 7

short to the completeness of an
establishment, suitable to a Pasha residing under the sky of Provence.
A little door in the park-wall gives access to this oasis. As you may
guess, I passed many an hour there, and I dreamt dreams of "The
Thousand and One Nights."
All this time I had never interrupted my labours; for you need not
suppose that my nabob's fortune could make me forgetful of my
inclinations towards science. In the midst of my numerous follies, as
you know very well, and in spite of the distractions of the more or less
dissipated life which I have led up to my present happy age of
twenty-six, I have always preserved my love of study, which fills up
those hours of forced respite that even the pleasures of the world leave
to every man who is conscious of a brain. The Polytechnic School, and
the search for x, in which my uncle trained me, developed very
inquisitive instincts in me. I ended by acquiring a taste for

transcendental ideas. This taste is at least worth as much as that for
angling. For my part, I confess that I class among the molluscs men
who, being their own masters, content themselves with eating, drinking,
and sleeping, without performing any intellectual labour. This is why
you call me "the savant."
I worked away, then, at my book with a veritable enthusiasm, and my
"Essay upon the Origin of Sensation" had extended to several long
chapters, when the critical event occurred which I have undertaken to
relate to you.
I had lived thus all alone for two weeks. One evening, on my return
from Arles, where I had been spending a couple of days upon some
business, I was informed that His Excellency, Mohammed-Azis, the old
friend of my uncle, whom I remembered to have seen on one occasion,
had arrived at the château the evening before, not having heard of the
death of Barbassou-Pasha. I must admit that this news gave me at the
time very little pleasure; but in memory of my dear departed uncle, I
could not but give his friend the welcome he expected. I was told that
His Excellency had gone straight to his quarters at Kasre-el-Nouzha,
where he was accustomed to dwell. I hastened to send my respects to
him, begging him to let me know if he would receive me. He sent word
that he was at my disposition and waiting for me. I therefore set off at
once to call upon him.
I found Mohammed-Azis on his door-step. Gravely and sadly he
received me with a salute, the respectful manner of which embarrassed
me somewhat, coming from a man of his age. He showed me into the
drawing-room, in each of the four corners of which bubbled a little
fountain of perfumed water, in small basins of alabaster garnished with
flowers. He made me sit down on the divan covered with a splendid
silk material, and which, very broad and very deep, and furnished with
numerous cushions, extends round the entire room. When seated, I
commenced uttering a few phrases of condolence, but he replied to me
in Turkish.
This mode of conversing had its difficulties, so he, seeing that I could
not understand him, started off into a Sabir or Italianised French,

pronounced in an accent which I will not attempt to describe.
"Povera Eccellenza Barbassou-Pacha!--finito--morto?"
I replied in Italian, which he spoke indifferently well. We thus managed
to get along.
I then related to him the accident which had brought about the death of
Barbassou, my uncle and his friend. He listened to me with a greatly
distressed air.
"Dunque voi signor padrone?" he replied, uneasily; "voi heritare di
tutto?--ordinare?--commandare?"--
"Let me assure you, Your Excellency," I answered, "nothing that
concerns you will be changed by my uncle's death. I shall make it a
point of honour to fill his place exactly."
He appeared satisfied with this reply, and breathed freely, like a man
relieved of a great burden. In another minute he asked me if I would
like to make the acquaintance of all his people.
"I should be delighted, Your Excellency, if you would present me to
your family."
He walked towards the door and summoned them by clapping his
hands.
I was expecting to see the wives or daughters of my host appear
according to Mussulman custom, covered up with their triple veils. An
exclamation of surprise escaped me when I saw four young persons
enter, dressed in beautiful Oriental costumes, their faces unveiled, and
all four endowed with such glorious beauty and youthful grace that I
was, for the moment, fairly dazzled. I took them for his daughters.
Hesitating and bashful, they stopped a few steps from me. In my
bewilderment I could not find a