mohammed ali and his house-第89部分

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rpets。　The　viceroy's　first　wife　and　his　children　will　come　up　from　Alexandria　in　this　dehabieh。〃

〃His　first　wife？〃　exclaims　another。　〃You　speak　of　his　first。　Has　he　then　other　wives？〃

The　person　addressed　then　assumes　a　mysterious　air；　as　if　to　intimate　that　he　is　in　the　viceroy's　confidence；　and　quite　accurately　informed　as　to　the　number　of　his　wives。　〃It　is　not　known；〃　says　he；　hesitatingly；　〃it　is；　however；　well　known　that　a　harem　has　been　constructed　at　the　citadel；　and　that　here　also　the　apartments　in　the　wing　of　the　palace　are　to　be　arranged　as　a　harem。〃

〃One　wife　hardly　requires　two　harems；　I　should　fancy？〃　they　all　laughingly　repeat；　〃by　Allah；　one　wife　has　no　need　of　two　harems；　and　the　viceroy　must　therefore　have　as　the　prophet　allows；　more　than　one　wife。〃

But　no　one　knows　it；　and　Mohammed　takes　care　to　be　silent　concerning　his　private　life。　He　is　reticent　in　such　matters；　and　only　talkative　when　in　conference　with　his　ministers　and　government　officials；　and　most　so　when　conversing　with　Hassan；　his　minister　of　finance；　on　which　occasions　he　is　often　compelled　to　hear　that　the　treasury　is　unfortunately　almost　empty；　and　that　new　means　of　replenishing　it　must　be　devised。

Money　is　scarce；　but　none　is　spared　in　decorating　the　apartments　at　the　citadel；　and　below　in　the　palace　of　the　Esbekieh。

The　apartments　in　the　citadel　destined　to　be　the　harem　of　the　viceroy's　wife；　as　well　as　the　other　apartments　of　the　palace；　are　being　splendidly　furnished。

The　upper　apartments；　now　that　they　are　completed；　the　viceroy　inspects　alone；　through　the　others　he　walks　beside　his　faithful　friend　Hassan；　pointing　out　with　complacency　the　beauties　of　the　long　suite　of　elegantly…furnished　apartments。

〃And　do　you　know　who　is　to　occupy　these　rooms；　Hassan？〃　asked　Mohammed；　his　countenance　assuming　a　more　mild　and　kindly　expression　than　Hassan　had　ever　before　observed　in　the　usually　stern　and　severe　features　of　his　master。

〃It　is　said　the　viceroy　has　sent　for　his　sons；〃　replied　Hassan；　〃and　I　therefore　suppose　that　they　are　to　live　here。〃

〃And　your　supposition　is　right；　my　friend；〃　replied　the　viceroy；　smiling。　〃Yes；　here　my　dear　sons　will　live；　my　three　boys。　Yet　they　must　be　almost　young　men　by　this　time。　Let　me　see；　five　years　have　passed　since　I　saw　them。　They　must　have　changed　very　much　in　this　time；　Hassan；　and　I　confess　my　heart　yearns　for　them。　Do　you　think　they　will　know　me？〃

〃You　are　not　changed；　master；〃　replied　Hassan。　〃Just　as　you　look　now；　you　looked　on　that　day；　you　know；　the　day　at　Aboukir；　when　I　saw　you　for　the　first　time。〃

〃I　know；　we　met　there　for　the　first　time；　and　you　are　the　only　friend　that　has　stood　beside　me　faithfully　since　that　day。　The　only　one；　too；　Hassan；　in　whom　I　confide；　and　may　Allah　grant　that　you　stand　beside　me　through　life！〃

〃Yes；　may　Allah　grant　that　my　enemies　may　never　succeed　in　making　you　distrust　me。　For　this　I　know；　I　shall　remain　faithful　to　you　until　death；　and　malice　and　calumny　alone　can　succeed　in　alienating　from　me　my　master's　confidence。〃

〃Hassan；〃　said　the　viceroy；　looking　at　him　earnestly；　〃I　do　not　listen　to　calumny；　and；　whatever　I　hear；　I　do　not　believe　it　unless　I　recognize　it　as　truth。　You　will　be　often　calumniated；　my　friend；　that　I　well　know。　But　this　I　promise　you：　whatever　evil　is　said　of　you　I　will　repeat　to　you；　to　enable　you　to　justify　yourself；　and　then　woe　to　those　who　have　the　temerity　to　calumniate　you！〃

The　viceroy　has　shown　the　beautiful　apartments　of　the　citadel　to　his　friend　Hassan；　but　the　apartments　in　the　palace　of　the　Esbekieh　he　shows　to　no　one；　through　them　he　wanders　alone。　The　saloons　and　chambers　are　not　yet　finished；　he　carefully　observes　them　as　he　walks　along；　noting　whether　his　instructions　are　being　complied　with。　Now　he　has　entered　the　immense　saloon；　situated　at　the　end　of　the　apartments　of　the　harem。　He　locks　the　door　behind　him；　here　no　one　must　see　him；　to　this　sanctuary　no　human　eye　must　follow　him。

At　the　entrance　he　stands　still　and　looks　around。　A　wondrous　change　has　come　over　him。　He　smiles；　and　his　countenance　is　still　more　radiant　than　when　he　spoke　with　Hassan　of　his　sons。　His　eyes　sparkle　like　those　of　a　youth　who　beholds　again　the　countenance　of　his　beloved。

The　saloon　is　curiously　furnished。　Nothing　splendid；　nothing　beautiful　is　to　be　seen。　Simple　mats　cover　the　floor；　such　mats；　woven　of　long　straw　by　the　fellahs；　as　adorn　the　harems　of　the　poorer　class　of　people　in　Cairo。　There　are　no　divans；　but　only　low　cushions　covered　with　plain　woolen　cloth；　no　costly　hangings；　no　mirrors　on　the　walls；　they　are　hung　with　gray　linen；　as　though　they　were　the　sides　of　a　gigantic　tent；　and　in　the　middle　of　this　immense　space　there　really　stands　a　tenta　large　one　made　of　white　cloth；　patched　with　colored　rags　of　every　description；　such　a　tent　as　the　Bedouin　chiefs　of　the　desert　dwell　in。

Any　one　entering　this　immense　space；　after　passing　through　the　glittering　apartments　of　the　harem；　would　have　been　strangely　and　mysteriously　affected　by　its　appearance。

But　Mohammed　is　not　so　affected。　He　steps　in　noiselessly；　as　if　fearing　to　disturb　the　repose　of　some　one。

Is　any　one　reposing　there？

Not　yet；　but　the　time；　it　is　to　be　hoped；　will　soon　come　when　this　tent　shall　no　longer　be　unoccupied　as　now。

Mohammed　steps　forward；　draws　back　the　curtain；　and　enters　the　first　apartment　of　the　tent。

How　plain　it　is；　how　desolate　and　bare！　On　the　mat　in　the　corner；　however；　lie　cushions；　and　spread　over　them　a　shawl　adorned　with　tassels；　the　cover　for　the　person　who　is　to　sleep　there；　there　stands　also　a　stool；　and　on　it　lies　a　tray；　which　contains　various　articles　of　table…ware；　such　as　dishes；　plates；　and　pitchers。　‘

It　all　looks　extremely　plain；　but；　when　viewed　more　closely；　it　is　observed　that；　beneath　this　simplicity；　splendor　is　concealed。　When　the　shawl　is　raised；　it　is　discovered　that　the　other　side　is　of　heavy　crimson　velvet；　inworked　with　gold；　and　bordered　with　pearls。　When　the　tray　that　lies　on　the　stool　is　examined；　it　is　found　to　be　of　solid　silver；　and　of　great　value；　though　unpolished　and　rough；　and　the　cups；　dishes；　and　other　articles；　prove　to　be　of　richly…　worked　gold；　set　with　precious　stones；　and　placed　as　if　in　jest　in　plain；　wooden　forms。　Mohammed　examines　all　these　things　with　a　smile　of　satisfaction；　and　murmurs　to　himself：　〃Yes；　yes；　it　was　just　so。　The　first　apartment　presented　just　this　appearance。〃

He　now　draws　back　the　curtain　that　opens　into　the　second　apartment；　and　it　seems　to　him　he　hears　now　as　then　a　sweet　voice　say：　〃The　second　apartment　is　for　the　women；　and　no　man　is　ever　allowed　to　enter　it。　I　will　conduct　you　into　that　apartment；　and　there　I　beg　you　to　remain。〃

The　second　apartment；　where　Butheita　lived；　was　just　like　this。　There　lay　the　cushions　on　which　her　lovely　form　reposed　at　night。　Just　so　was　the　woollen　cover　with　its　white　and　brown　stripes；　and　like　these　were　the　little　red　shoes　that　stood　beside　her　couch　there。　Only　those　were　of　leather　and　these　were　of　red　velvet；　and　sparkled　with　precious　stones。　When　raised；　it　was　found　that　the　other　side　of　this　woollen　cover；　like　that　in　the　other　apartment；　was　also　of　splendid　material；　richly　worked　and　adorned　with　gems。　There　was　nothing　else　here　but　a　small　chest　that　stood　in　a　remote　corner；　as　in　Butheita's　tent。　In　that　she　kept　the　little　ornaments；　purchased　for　her　in　Tantah　by　her　father；　articles　of　jewelry　found　in　the　sand　of　the　desert；　and　which　had　perhaps　been　worn　by　a　daughter　of　the　Pharaohs；　and　gems　that　had　been　taken　from　the　grave　of　some　mummy；　where　they　had　lain　for　thousands　of　years。　Outwardly　the　chest　that　stood　in　the　corner　looked　like　the　other；　but　it　contained　treasures　of　a　different　nature；　a　costly　necklace　of　pearls；　buckles　of　enormous　value；　and　a　diadem；　so　lustrous　that　it　seemed　as　though　Mohammed　had　stolen　stars　from　heaven　with　which　to　adorn　his　love。

As　he　stands　there　absorbed　in　the　contemplation　of　these　articles；　a　feeling　of　unutterable　bliss　comes　over　him；　of　happiness　unknown　to　him　for　many　long　years。

Yes；　unknown　to　him　for　long　years；　for　very　many　have　elapsed　since　Masa　died。　Since　the　time　when　he　prepared　the　subterranean　grotto　for　Masa；　he　has　never　until　now　experienced　such　ecstasy。　He　steps　out；　closes　the　curtains；　and　surveys　every　thing　once　more；　and　smiles　his　approval。

〃Now　I　go　for　your　mistress；〃　murmured　he；　as　he　turns　and　walks　toward　the　door。　But　at　the　door　he　suddenly　stands　still。　He　feels　that　this　is　not　the　countenance　of　the　viceroy；　of　a　ruler；　but　that　of　a　happy　man。　Such　a　countenance　he　must；　however；　not　exhibit　to　the　world；　no　one　must　see　that　the　ruler；　perplexed　and　weighed　down　with　the　cares　of　state；　can　sometimes　forget　that　he　is　a　ruler；　and　become　for　a　moment　a　happy　man。　When　he　steps　out　his　countenance　wears　its　usual　grave　and　severe　expression。

On　the　evening　of　this　day；　the　viceroy　leaves　the　citadel　for　a　short　time。　He　wishes　to　repose　for　a　few　days　in　his　house　on　the　shore　of　the　Nile；　opposite　Boulak；　in　the　house　he　had　caused　to　be　built　when　he　was　sarechsme；　and　to　which　he　had　given　the　name　Salam…lyk。

A　single　servant；　Achmed；　accompanies　the　viceroy　to　Salam…lyk；　where　he　proposes　to　enjoy　a　little　rest　from　the　cares　of　state；　as　he　is　in　the　habit　of　doing　from　time　to　time。

Upon　his　arrival　at　Salam…lyk；　he　calls　Achmed　to　his　apartment；　confers　with　him　for　a　long　time；　and　gives　him　instructions　with　regard　to　something　he　wishes　him　to　do。　Achmed　leaves　him；　mounts　a　swift　dromedary；　and　rides　out　into　the　night；　and　Mohammed　retires　to　rest。　But　he　rises　again　with　the　earliest　dawn；　and　gazes　impatiently　out　of　the　window；　as　if　expecting　some　one；　he　smiles　at　himself；　he　is　as　impatient　as　a　young　girl；　or　as　a　lover　awaiting　the　coming　of　his　love。

But　hour　after　hour　passes；　and　still　he　sees　no　one　coming　up　the　path　that　leads　through　the　garden　to　the　house。　But　finally；　at　noon；　Achmed　is　seen　approaching

Mohammed　hastens　out　into　the　garden　to　meet　him。

〃Well；　did　you　find　the　tent？〃

〃Yes；　master；　the　dromedary　ran　to　it　of　its　own　accord。〃

〃And　whom　did　you　meet　at　the　tent？〃

〃The　father；　masterthe　chief　Arnhyn。〃

Mohamm