I was just about to offer some apologies to Mahommed, and make my peace
with him before I left (for I feared that he might for the future place
obstacles in the way of similar evening performances), when he said to
me, with an anxious air, in that dialect of his which I translate, in
order to avoid reproducing the scene of the mamamouchis in the
"Bourgeois Gentilhomme:"
"May I be allowed to hope that your lordship is satisfied?"
"Satisfied, Your Excellency?" I exclaimed, affectionately grasping his
hands; "why, I am delighted! You could not give me greater pleasure in
this world than by treating me exactly as you treated my uncle."
"The young ladies, then, did not displease your lordship?"
"Your daughters? Why, they are adorable! My only fear is lest I should
not find them reciprocate the sentiments which they inspire in me."
"Ah! Then it is not because your lordship is displeased that you will
not remain here to-night?" added he, with an anxious look.
"That I will not remain here?" I replied. "What do you mean?"
"Why, Your Excellency has not expressed his will to any of them."
"My will! What will, then, could I express to them?"
"Considering that they belong to your lordship," he continued.
"They belong to me? Who?"
"Why, Kondjé-Gul, Zouhra, Hadidjé, Nazli."
"They belong to me?" replied I, overcome with stupefaction.
"Certainly," said Mahommed, looking as astonished as I did. "His
Excellency, Barbassou-Pasha, your uncle, whose eunuch I had the honour
of being, commanded me to purchase four maidens for his harem. Since he
is dead, and your lordship takes his place as master--I had supposed--"
"Ah!!!"
I won't attempt to render for you the full force of the exclamation to
which I gave vent. You may guess the feelings conveyed in it. In very
truth I thought I should go out of my senses this time. The dream of
"The Thousand and One Nights" was being realised in my waking hours!
This extraordinary and sumptuous palace was a harem, and this harem was
mine! These four Schéhérazades, whose glorious youthfulness and
fascinating charms had scorched me like fire, they were my slaves, and
only awaited a sign or token of my desire!
Mohammed, incapable of conceiving my agitation, regarded me with a
pitiful, confused look, as if he anticipated some disgrace. At this
moment the old Greek woman brought him the keys: there were four. He
handed them to me.