French and Oriental Love in a Harem

"Keep your eye on me all the time, won't you?" she said to me as she

picked up her long skirt.

Soon we saw her reach the verandah without any adventure. She ascended

the steps and passed in front of Kondjé-Gul. It seemed to us that

Kondjé-Gul spoke very passionately to her, and that she answered her in

the same tones. At last they both had gone in, when all at once we heard

piercing shrieks. Apprehending some skirmishing between my two jealous

houris, I rushed off, followed at a distance by Zouhra and Nazli, who

were frightened at the thought of being left alone. As I entered the

harem I found Hadidjé and Kondjé-Gul, with their hair dishevelled and

their clothes torn, struggling together. Kondjé-Gul was armed with a

little golden dagger, which she wore in her hair, and was striking

Hadidjé with it. When she saw me she fled and ran to her room to shut

herself in.

We hastened to the assistance of poor Hadidjé. She had been wounded on

the shoulder, and blood was flowing. Happily the weapon, too harmless to

wound seriously, had not penetrated the flesh; but, breaking with the

blow, it had scratched her rather severely. I soon felt reassured, and

quieted her cries, but not without some trouble.

Mohammed and the servants had run up to the rescue; I sent them all

back, and after calming Nazli and Zouhra, I staunched the wound with

some water. In a few minutes, Hadidjé, who had fancied herself murdered,

regained her tranquillity of mind, and only complained just enough to

keep alive our interest in her grievance.

Then I questioned her, and she told us that as soon as she had entered

the drawing-room, Kondjé-Gul followed her, and giving vent there and

then to an outburst of passion, accused her of being the cause of her

disgrace, reproaching her with hypocritical devices for getting over me.

Hadidjé, according to her version of the affair, had only replied with

extreme moderation, when Kondjé-Gul, exasperated all of a sudden, rushed

at her with her dagger.

I knew Hadidjé's character too well to place an implicit belief in the

whole of this account; still it was important to put an end to such

escapades. The happiness of my household, which had hitherto been so

peaceful, was endangered if I failed to act like a just but strict

husband. After this outrage committed by Kondjé-Gul, my houris, in their

indignation, insisted upon a signal vengeance, and demanded forthwith

that I should deliver her up to the cadi. The cadi! that was coming

it strong. I had some difficulty, however, in overcoming their

persistency; at last they agreed to a less tragic form of punishment,

which went no further than the expulsion of this unworthy companion from

the harem.