The Pirate City, Robert Michael Ballantyne [classic novels .TXT] 📗

this an exclamation from the elder chaouse drew his attention to the fact that Sidi Hassan himself had just turned the corner of the street in which they had been conversing, and was at that moment so earnestly engaged in conversation with Sidi Omar, that the two approached without at first observing the officers of justice.

The instant Hassan's eye alighted on them, he stopped and became visibly paler. Omar also stopped, but pretended not to observe the change in his companion's countenance, nor its cause, as he continued the conversation.

"Hist!" whispered Hadji Baba to his companions, "when enemies become sudden friends, we should know how to act."

It was evident from the look of anxiety and uncertainty depicted in the visage of the elder chaouse that he did not by any means know how to act. With the stern resolution of a bull-dog nature, however, he suddenly made up his mind to do his duty.

Advancing quickly toward Hassan, he was about to lay hold of him, when Hadji Baba stepped abruptly before him, and said with an affable air and smile--

"His Highness the Dey has sent these good fellows to arrest Sidi Hassan, and I have taken upon my own shoulders the weighty responsibility-- being, as is well-known, a fool--to offer our united services in the reversal of the decree by the arrestment of the Dey instead."

"A bold jest, good fellow, and one that may cost thee thy life, for the present Dey understands not a jest."

"It is no jest," returned Baba, with a keen glance at Omar, whom he knew to be a plotter in the state; "my soles tingle now with what they have already received, and my thoughts tingle with what is yet to come. If you have need of friends in the palace here are two--good and true," said Baba, turning to the chaouses, who stood mute with amazement at the man's impudence, "and I am one, which makes three, according to the rules of arithmetic. If we are not wanted, then these men must do their duty, for Sidi Hassan is wanted, and we may as well go blithely to our doom together."

"Fellow," said Omar sternly, "dost know that I have power to have thee flayed alive without consulting thy master?"

"Nay, not without consulting my master," said Baba, bowing respectfully, "for my master is before me!"

"In sooth thou art a very impudent knave," returned Omar, smiling in spite of himself; "and were I the vile plotter thou imaginest, I should be afraid of having such a changeable friend in the palace."

"Am I changeable for preferring the kind master who was slain to him who slew him?" said Baba simply.

"That is true, Hadji Baba," returned Omar, suddenly changing his tone.--"Sidi Hassan, fortune is favourable to us. We will trust these men. They dare not play us false even though they would, because their own lives would be forfeited.--Hadji Baba, it may be well for thee to know that, while we avail ourselves of thine aid and that of thy friends, we are quite independent of it, because it happens that the train is already laid, and nothing that thou couldst do, not even the instant alarm of the palace guards, could prevent it from being fired, I believe thee faithful, but this information may help to increase thy fidelity. Go, and, hark 'ee, be very careful to have the guards well placed and looked after to-night at _the hour of nine_."


CHAPTER NINETEEN.


DESCRIBES AN IMPORTANT EVENT IN THE PIRATE CITY.

"Madman!" exclaimed the elder chaouse, after Omar and Hassan had left, "you have put the bow-string round our necks as well as your own."

"True," answered Baba, with a bland smile, "and if we would not have it drawn tight, we must e'en obey the commands of Omar the Dey."

"I suppose we must," returned the chaouse gloomily; "but it is hard enough to be compelled to spend our days in strangling, thrashing, burning, beheading, flaying, and tormenting other men, without the addition of having our own necks put in jeopardy."

The injustice attaching to themselves and their office seemed to weigh heavily for some time on the minds of both the executioners, notwithstanding the sallies and remonstrances of Hadji Baba, but before reaching the palace they had gone through the not difficult process--to a Turk--of setting the whole matter down to the decrees of Fate, and washing their hands of all guilt.

That evening, as the hour for action drew nigh, Hadji Baba and his colleagues began to grow rather uneasy--all the more so that the Dey was in a particularly bad humour.

Being an ignorant and uneducated man, he had found the work of gathering up the reins of government a very difficult task, notwithstanding the boldness of his heart and the determination of his will. True, he had simplified several knotty matters by bastinadoing and cutting off the heads of all concerned, but this left a multitude of matters which could not be disposed of in that summary fashion.

Among other things, he had been thwarted in his resolution to get possession of Angela Diego, whom he intended to have made a slave of the palace. Finding that she had taken refuge with the British consul at his country house, he sent a peremptory order to have the girl returned immediately, and, pending the result of that order, had locked Bacri up in a dungeon, with threats of the bastinado, and even death, in the event of any difficulty being thrown in the way.

After this he called for his coffee and pipe, his tame gazelle, chief executioners, and story-teller, resolving to throw the cares of state aside for the night and enjoy himself.

It was nearly eight o'clock when this order was given, to the consternation of Hadji Baba and his confederates, who were thus deprived of the power of rendering, in the guard-room, any assistance to the insurrectionists. There was, however, no alternative,--obedience was imperative.

"Sit down," said the Dey to the unfortunate jester, when he entered the presence, limping with much apparent difficulty. "We will extend clemency to thee, in the hope that thou wilt redeem thy character. I am fond of marvellous stories. Thou mayest sit on that carpet. Now, look behind thee."

Hadji Baba obeyed, and observed his two friends standing mute and motionless, like statues, ready at a moment's notice to do their master's bidding.

"Knowest thou these men?" asked the Dey.

"Your highness's slave knows them but too well," replied Baba, with a well-feigned shudder, which changed into a real one on his observing that a gorgeous time-piece opposite pointed to the hour of eight.

"Proceed, then, and acquit thee well, else thou shalt come to know them still better ere long."

Thus admonished, the story-teller cleared his throat, wished intensely for a draught of water, and taxed his fertile brain to the uttermost. At last under a feeling of absolute desperation, he began--

"Once upon a time--"

The Dey nodded, as though he thought that not a bad beginning.

"Once upon a time," continued Baba, and then, checking himself--"Your highness wishes a _very_ marvellous story, I believe?"

"Yes, _very_ marvellous," said the Dey, not quite pleased with the interruption.

"Your highness shall have it--a very marvellous story, and, what is more, it shall be a true story."

Hadji Baba said this with so much energy and fire that the Dey again nodded his approval, and sent two thin clouds of tobacco-smoke through his nostrils, as he patted the gazelle which crouched at his feet, resting its head on his knee, and gazing affectionately at the tyrant with its magnificent eyes.

"Once upon a time," resumed the story-teller with sustained vigour and fluency, as he glanced at the clock, "there was a poor shoemaker who dwelt in a certain town, and was noted among his friends for his powers of song. One day the Sultan of the country chanced to hear of this man's talent, and sent for him to the palace. He was so pleased with him that he made him his chief musician. This shoemaker possessed magical gifts."

"Villain!" exclaimed the Dey, "didst thou not say that the story should be a true one? How can that be, when thou speakest of gifts which do not and never did exist?"

"Your highness's slave," replied Baba, "refers to those powers of _legerdemain_, or pretended magic, with which some men are gifted."

"Go on," returned the Dey.

"Well, one day the shoemaker offered to amuse the Sultan by mesmerising his guards."

"Mesmerising!" interrupted the Dey, "what is that?"

"Throwing them into a sleep, your highness, against their will."

"Well?"

"Well, the Sultan did not believe him, so he said, `If thou shalt put these guards into sleep against their wills, I will give thee my daughter in marriage.' The shoemaker was well pleased to hear this, for the Sultan's daughter was virtuous and very beautiful. So he begged the Sultan to order in his guards, which he did. Drawing them up in a line, the man began at the first, and made the passes or signs which are necessary to throw men into the mesmeric state. The first man winked very much, and smiled a little, but did not fall asleep.

"`Ha!' cried the Sultan, on seeing this, `thou art deceiving me, it seems!'

"`Not so, your highness,' replied the shoemaker; `it is not every man who can be thus subdued. Permit me to go on, and I will find one who is susceptible.'

"So the shoemaker went on and made the passes and signs which were necessary, until at last he found one who at once fell asleep, and then, one after another, they all fell asleep, and no one could awake them except the shoemaker! I could not have believed this, your highness," said Hadji Baba, "if I had not been told it by the shoemaker himself, who also taught me the mysterious power of thus throwing men in to sleep, which in some languages is signified by the term `throwing dust into their eyes.'"

"How!" exclaimed the Dey, "dost mean to tell me that thou couldst really do as that shoemaker did, and put my guards to sleep before mine eyes?"

"Your highness's slave presumes to answer emphatically--yes."

"By the beard of the Prophet, thou shalt prove it," said the Dey, whose curiosity was aroused.--"Ho, there! order the guard into my presence."

"Hold!" exclaimed Hadji Baba; "they must appear absolutely unarmed. In order that men should be brought under the influence of this power, it is necessary that they should divest themselves not only of all ordinary weapons, but also of the defensive armour of common-sense. That is the reason why the exercise of the power is so difficult. But, once accomplished, the effect is unquestionable and very amazing."

"Let them leave their arms behind them, then," said the Dey; "only see that two are left to keep the gates."

"Would it not be well," suggested Baba humbly, "that, considering the recent riots, more than two should be left to guard the palace gates? It is true, the more men that are brought under my influence the more likely is my influence to be effectual, but these chaouses might for a few minutes supply their place."

"Be it so!--Thou hearest?" said the Dey, turning to his executioners.

The chaouses went out as the men of the