THE MAILS The House of Rahmana.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8042, 1 February 1906, Page 4

THE MAILS

The House of Rahmana.

THURSDAY, FEBRUAUY 1. For United Kingilom ami Continent of Europe, via Monte Video, per s.s. Mutatua from Wellington (for speeially addressed torrcspoudenee only), at 6.15 a.m. Due London Mureli Kith. For Wellington and South per Uotoiti, at 10.30 a.m. For Auckland and >'orlli per Takapuna, at 7 p.m. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 2. For Australian States at 6.15 a.m., due Sydney February 7tli. For Ceylon, India, China, Straits Settlements, and Mediterranean Ports, also United Kingdom and Continent of Europe, via Suez (for correspondence specially addressed only), at 6.15 a.m., due London March 10th. For South Africa, per Moravian from Melbourne, at 6.15 a.m. Due Durban about March 16th. For Auckland and North per Karawa, at 7 p.m.' SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3. For Australian States at 7 p.m. Due Sydney February 9th. For Auckland and North per Takapuua, at 7 p.m. The next best despatch for Continent of Europe and United Kingdom will be via San Franeiseo, closing at New Plymouth on Thursday, February Bth, at 7 p.m. Due Loudon March 10th. Mails for Fiji, per Hauroto, close at Auckland en February 7th. F. D. Holdswortb, Chief Postmaster.

•This is the house ot Kahmana." I was startled, tor what had seemed to be a brown bag left carelessly on top of the stone wall contained a voice. Two long bones covered tight with skin resolved themselves into legs, while, from under the hood of a jalubiya, a pair of keen eyes looked into mine-an electric spark in a parchment case. Had a wandering astral body, tired of space, taken possession again of its previous dwelling place, cast aside the cerement of a mummy in the Boolak Museum, stolen the soiled juluhiya of an Egyptian, and come again to Morocco ? " Do you speak Spanish ? " I demanded in lurpnse.

" Why not? " replied the Moor as he rose to his feet. " I have lived in Cadiz."

He waved his hand towards a group oi ruins. "There is El Mamora, the house of Kahmana, but not the one she loved the best."

I leaned against the wall. Far below me lay ths sea, with the city huddled near, its mosques and minarets shining in the sun. Mountains purple with haze, raised their heads in the distance. On the slope of the hill where we stood were terraced gardens, protecting withhigh stone walls the women of the harem from the prying eyes of the curious wayfarers of the street 11. " Come," said the Moor," I will show yo the citadel, for my time is short! I must return to the mountain tonight." There was a gleam of madness in his eyes &s they met mine, and then I understood. He might wander at will without fear among bis people, for as the Arabs say, "Godhad :allecl his reason back to Himself," and the )ld Moor was now a saint. Half-way to the gate he paused and, lounting the stones in the wall, first upwards ■ then to the left, he pressed steadily on a small one. The large one above it swung slowly outwards as if on a pivot, leaving a space large enough for the head and shoulders rjf a man. " It was here that Arusi first saw Kahmana," said the Moor. "He was riding up the hill on his black Arabian, and just here ae rose in his stirrups to watch for a signal from that mountain. Kahmana bad just risen from her rug and stood near the wall. She, the most beautiful woman in all Morocco, looked into the eyes of.Arusi, bandsome as a god. Do you wouder that all else sas forgotten ?

" It is not the custom for our women to be seen of men, but sometimes the laws of ages ire swept away by the onslaught of a great moment. A cunning artisan from the west iiade this opening, and when it was finished mysteriousfy disappeared, never to return. So one save Arusi, Itahmana, her slave girl, md myself knew of the place. From that ilme until the faint sickle of the moon told ihat the fast of Ramadan had begun, no light passed without the meeting of Arusi ind Kahmana."

We passed into the garden,and in fancy t beheld the Moorish girl among the oiauge irecsand oleanders, her eyes darkened with £ohl, a scarlet kerchief on her unbound hair, ler brilliant costume of vari colored silk tied it the waist with a soft sash, a richly emiroidered velvet jacket, wide trousers half revealing silver anklets, with tiny yellow dippers embroidered in red covering her eet.

The faint sound of a musical instrument :ame from another garden, and I saw in reality, a mulatto slave girl in her one white jarrnent open to the waist on one side dart icross the ground and disappear in a court. Climbing the terrace, we entered the pa. lace. Even in its decay it was beautiful with its brilliant mosaic rloor, marble pillars, the paintings on the arches, and the delicate tracery of the woodwork. The Moor was muttering to himself as he walked in and aut of the other courts which had fallen to ruin. He came back to me as I lingered by the fountain, threw back his hood, and his wrinkled head looked more mummy-like than ever in the dim light. The perfumed Ml long since had been forgotten in the lanterns hanging from the arches. ■III. " It was here, in this room," he said, " that her father, the great Sid Mohammed Abd el Djebar, told Rhamana that he had promised her in marriage to Sid Ali, the son of the pasha of Sale. The sheik had disjovered that Arusi had seen Rahmana and »as angered, not only because of the tradition jf his people, hut because of a feud ihat uoihing but blood could wipe out. He sent for her, and in this room told her of his will. Cunningly ho withheld his knowledge of her love for Arusi.

" It would be strange for a Moorish maiden to question the will of her father, but she tried to gain lime and, being the daughter of her father, her wits were keen.

" ' It is well, my father,' she said ; 'but let me stay with you until after the next feast of Ramadan. My life is happy here, and no man will be to me as you, my father.' "Sid Mohammed, proud of her beauty, and knowing that Arusi was already in prison l;adcd with chains —denounced that very day by the great shiek himself as the despoilerof a French vessel—laughed as he granted her wish, well knowing that for the time between that hour and her wedding day she would be safe from Arusi. " The fact that Arusi was innocent of the crime for which he was imprisoned but added zest to the matter for the sheik.'' IV. " Come this way; these are the apartments of Rahmana." Here again were exquisite mosaics, and I fancied that I canght the odor of rose and the taint rustle of silks. It was here, then, that she waited in hungry silence for tidings of Arusi, who, after that dreadful day, came no more to the opening in the wall. The sun was iow in the west as we stepped again into the garden where palms nodded their graeefr.l heads and the rich perfume of flowers filled our senses with the very breath of the Orient. The low voice of the Moor took up the story again. "Time passed. The feast of Ramadan came a second time, and the great sheik, busy with other matters, seemed to have forgotten the wedding of Rahmana. Arusi had made his escape from prison, and it was rumored that he was chief of a band of brigands preying on the fat Moors of the city. At last the feasting for the wedding began and Rahmana resigned herself to the fate awaiting her. Only the mulatto girl knew of the sleepless nights and the tears shed while the household was wrapt in slumber. The night came when the bridegroom would escort itahmana to his home. The wedding farty would pass through this gate and then ihrough that narrow defile beyond." I looked at the yawning cliffs as they almost met over the tiny road. " Sid Ali was ill favored, and his rich costume made his deformities uglier than ever, but Rahmana had never seen him and her heart held only the image of Arusi, seated on his great black horse. His trousers and haik were of the finest silk and his caftan heavy with gold embroidery, while his face, illuminated with his great love, shone like the face of a god. " The wedding party left the citedal afterthe night bad fallen ; first a guard of soldiers, then Rahmana on a mule accompanied by the great sheik, Ilk bridegroin, SidAli, and her brother. Just as they reached the ben in the road at the foot of that defile, there was heard a mighty cry •

" ' Arusi salutes thee, 0 Sheik Sid Mohammed Abd el Djcbar' " Mounted men could be seen on the hills, and there were shouts and many shots. Hahmaim could sec nothing through her veil, but she fell strong arms lift her from Ilia mule to the back of an Arab stallion. The voice of Arusi in her ear whispered,' lieloved, I have come for thee,' I know, for my horse was neck and neck with his, and on my saddle was the slave girl." " Vou ! " I cried in amazement, for the story of Kabniana and Arusi was generations old and ho was telling it as personal history. As he looked up at me the cunning look "of mildness came again into his eyes and i held my peace. V. Do you sec that mountain covered with blue haze?"—he pointed south. "The woods are almost inpenctrable. just below the highest point Arusi had built a resting place for Kallmann. You think the citadel magnificent? It was a hovel in comparison. Ah, 1 could tell you of the honey, the swectmeatsawaitiug her." He stopped for so long a time I thought that he was quite lost in the past. But he began again. "In all countries with all people, the one great thing is love, and so it was with them. A steady flame, burning brighter and brighter as the days passed. 14 When he was away from her she would not grieve, fearing that the beauty she wish ed to preserve for his Bake might be harmed by the adding of a lino of care ; her only thought was for Arusi. " On his return he would pour riches in gold and silks into her lap, but she would push them all away and, putting her arms about his neck, would draw his head down to her bosom and croon over him until he slept, and woe to the slave who moved so much as a linger for fear of waking him. " Down in the city on the night of the wedding, there was wild disorder. The sheik demanded of the sultan an aimed company to help him seek Arusi, for he swore a terrible oath that he would kill him. Days grew into weeks, and weeks into months, and they had not found him; but the circle was ever growing smaller, and there came a night when Arusi did not return to Kallmann. She could not be ■comforted.

" The forces of the sheik and Sid Ali bad cornered Arusi, and the injured bridegroom had levelled his musket and shot him in the eye. Arusi staggered. It was only an instant, but long enough for tbo devils to reach him, twenty to one and bind him. They cut his toes off, one by one, and left him bleeding on the ground while they designed further tortures to inflict. At last they slept. " Suddenly, out of the night, came again the cry, ' Arusi salutes thee, 0 Sheik Sid Mabainmed Abd el Djcbar!' " Instantly the camp was alive, but far in the distance was Arusi mounted on the shiek's own stallion. Sid Ali lay quiet with a poniard in his eye. " They were quick to follow, but the trees were thick and the underbush tangled so that they halted, baißcd. " A riderless horse, spattered with blood, came out of the distance towards them ; then they knew they were near the hiding place of the man they sought. The old shiek and a few of his guard crept cautiously up the path. There was no need now of fear, for as they pushed open the door of the court they heard a low moaning. " Kahmana, with unseeing ,'yes, was rocking back and forth over the body of Arusi. She had wrapper! the poor feet in a silken liaik, and was murmuring words of love into deaf ears.

" They brought her hack to lliocitadel, but listen "—he put his lips close to my car--"in three days'time she disappeared ; she went back to the mountain, alone. I buried her there; 1 watch over her grave. I came down to more at the stone whore I, 100, kissed a woman; but she was a slave girl—not the daughter of a mighty sheik." The Moor ceased to speak and turned from me. I heard the faint call of the muezzin from the minarets of the city, and as the Moor prostrated himself I turned to watch the sun sink into the sea. A French ship passed ; the lights shone out from the distant windows; a shadow fell on the citadel; the Moor had disappeared.