Had a thunderbolt fallen at Mohammed's feet it certainly would not have
caused him greater consternation. The unfortunate fellow did not seem to
doubt for one moment what punishment awaited him. But I reassured him,
for as you may well suppose, with my system this useless practice is
destined to disappear as being superfluous: the dignified position of
eunuch not being compatible with our laws. However, under the
circumstances, I did not think that I could dispense with opening a
serious inquiry concerning this offence which, according to Mohammed,
had been perpetrated repeatedly for some days past. Even letters, thrown
over the walls, had been exchanged.
On the morrow then, I repaired to the house before the hour usually
selected for this correspondence, and placing myself on the upper floor,
I waited, screened by a curtain, thanks to which I could watch the
manoeuvres of the accomplices, at my ease. Mohammed was moaning like a
fallen man, deprived of his grandeur and dishonoured. I soon saw Zouhra
appear, charmingly adorned and carrying a nosegay in her hand; but the
other window, which had been indicated to me, remained unoccupied. After
ten minutes or so she became restless and began to pace up and down her
room in a way that conclusively proved her impatience.
Provided with a good opera-glass I carefully watched her goings-on.
Nearly half an hour elapsed. There was still nobody at the other window.
Mohammed, who became more and more downcast, was beginning to fear that
he would be unable to prove to me the full extent of my disgrace, when
suddenly the swift approach of my houri to her window betokened
something fresh. She lowered her nosegay by way of saluting, and my
glasses were at once turned to the direction in which she was darting
her glances.
On the third floor of the colonel's house I could see a splendid
drum-major in full uniform, with large epaulets, his chest bedizened
with broad gold braid and his hand resting upon his heart. As the room
was not high enough to accommodate the lofty plume towering above his
bearskin, my rival was leaning half out of the window, and his tricolour
insignium seemed to pierce the sky.
I remained dazzled at the sight of him: he glistened like the sun!
With Zouhra it had been love at first sight. The pantomimic business
gradually began on both sides; on the girl's part it was naïve and still
restrained; on the drum-major's, ardent and passionate, though now and
then he struck a contemplative attitude. He showed her a letter and she
showed him another one, which she held in readiness. The sight made a
flush rise to Mohammed's brow.