"Oh, no! Oh, no!" she cried, with childlike delight. "It's your home--do let me look at it!" "Oh, but you must go and comfort Zouhra, Nazli, and Hadidje!" "They are asleep," she said. "I want to stay a little time here alone with you! Besides," she added, with a little frightened look still lingering on her face, "suppose Barbassou-Pasha has been deceiving you, suppose he is coming to kill you to-night?" "But once more I tell you, dear, you are _mad!_" "Well then, why send me back so soon?" "Because it is not proper for you to leave the harem," I answered. "Come along, off you go!" "Oh, just a little longer!--I beg you, dear!" she said, with a kiss. How could I resist her, my dear Louis? Tell me? I sat down, watching her moving about and rummaging everywhere. I must tell you that under her feridjie (which she had let down on my entrance into the room), she was dressed in a sort of loose gown of pale blue cashmere, embroidered with lively designs in silk and gold. Her snow-white arms emerged from wide, hanging sleeves. This costume produced a charming picturesque effect in the midst of my room, which, although comfortable, was very prosaic in its style--although to her it seemed wonderful. She touched everything, for she could not be satisfied with seeing only, and her questions never ceased.... At last, after half-an-hour, considering her curiosity to be satisfied, as she was beginning to ransack the books lying on my table, I said once more, "Come, Kondje-Gul, you must go." With these words, I picked up her feridjie, and took her back to the harem. A pale light was shining through the windows of the drawing-room. Hadidje, Nazli, and Zouhra were still there. To describe the terror which came over their faces directly I appeared, would be impossible. Hearing steps in the night, they made sure their last moments had arrived. At the sound of the door opening, they cried out loud--the three poor miserable things took refuge in a corner. When they saw me enter with Kondje-Gul, they were thrown into a great consternation. With a few words I reassured them at once. As to Mohammed, it was impossible to find him. I will confess, moreover, that I felt very little interest in searching for him--I was far from ill-pleased with the thought that he was paying for the trouble which his stupidity had caused my poor darlings, by a night of fear and trembling. My lamb having returned to the fold, I eventually retraced my steps to the chateau. Is it necessary to tell you that the surprising events of the day had caused me emotions which I was scarcely able to understand? My uncle's resurrection-- Lefebure-- The Changallas-- The camels-- They all kept my brain at work the whole night long. [Illustration] [Illustration] CHAPTER IV.