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.




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