French and Oriental Love in a Harem

Now you can picture to yourself the scene, and guess my state of mind.

The weird tones of the zither, with their penetrating and singularly

melancholy vibrations, the strange yet graceful costumes, the scent of

those flowers with which the daughters of the East always adorn

themselves, the all-pervading voluptuous atmosphere the enchantment of

which I cannot explain to you; finally, the fair rebel gloomy and

jealous, in the corner of the picture! All this, without my being any

longer surprised by it, kept me in a sort of happy contentment, like

that of a well satisfied vizir, which defies all analysis, but which you

will understand.

All at once the music ceased.

"André," said Hadidjé to me, "won't you come into the garden for a

little while?"

"Come along!" I replied, and rose up to go.

She took my arm. Zouhra and Nazli followed us. As I went out by the

verandah, I passed close to Kondjé-Gul; she drew back with a superb air

of dignity, as if she feared lest her dress should be ruffled by me.

Then darting a look of withering scorn at Hadidjé, she wrapped herself

up in her veil and leant against the balustrade, watching us go off. It

was a delicious autumn evening, the air was soft and the sky clear and

starry. Under our feet the dry leaves crackled. Hadidjé wanted to have a

row in the boat, so we went towards the lake. As we rowed along we

caught glimpses of Kondjé-Gul from time to time, through the openings

between the trees; her motionless figure stood out like a solitary

shadow in front of the illuminated window of the drawing-room.

"That's capital!" said Hadidjé, who was rowing with Nazli; "How dismal

she looks! But then why does she try to get privileges over us? Let us

stay here."

"Oh!" answered Zouhra in an indifferent tone, as she lay back on the

cushions, "Not the whole evening, I hope, for it's rather cold."

"Why didn't you bring your feridjié then," said Nazli; "you poor

sensitive creature?"

"I will go and fetch it if you like," I said to Zouhra.

"Oh, no!" she answered quickly; "if you leave us we shall be afraid."

"Very well then, I'll go," said Hadidjé, who wanted to carry out her

plan. "Let us row to the bank."

We pulled up to the point nearest to the château, and Hadidjé, not

without some nervousness after all, left us and ran off.