Louise Closser Hale

“ But what hurt us was the way that Mary granted any higher power than our own high-powered motor-car, even to the point of assuring us that it would outstrip our efforts, and arrange matters to her satisfaction in the very teeth of our perfected mechanical appliances. As the Illustrator said, there was no better engine in the world than ours, nor lamps that threw a farther light, nor tires that could run longer without bursting, and, like Robert of Sicily, "he was the King." ”

“ It will always annoy me that I took no cognizance of the way Mary behaved from the time she signed the register to the moment she kissed the cheek of the marabout. The kiss one could not fail to notice—it was unnecessary and it was fervid. As the Illustrator reminded her in rapid-fire English, it was dangerous to encourage a man, no matter how good, who had a harem. There is always room for one more in that mysterious quarter. ”

“ His condition of mind did not improve when Mary and I behaved remarkably at the tomb, for, following the custom, as it was explained to us, we added to the cluster of strings and ribbons and shreds of garments that were fastened upon the carving of the sarcophagus.
"Tie something on, my ladies," cried the Soudanese, "and make your prayer. For the women do this that Allah may not forget their beseeching—since they are women." ”

“ I explained further to the Illustrator on the way back. Mary, as usual, was with the blind guide and twenty-one beggars. If this nail of the girl's was to remain interesting to her, I warned, then it must continue delicately veiled. And even he, while doubting the attraction of a "nail" which was at all secreted, granted that hunting a marabout held possibilities for absorption.
The plot thickened that afternoon. It was Friday, and on Friday the Arabian women take their airing. They do not go shopping, or to the parks, or to the picture films. ”

“ Scorn our heroes until they die, then put them in a marble cheese-box."
"One must die to become good," completed the Deficient, efficiently.
"Could an old lady sit upon a tomb of a marabout?" I inquired, cautiously.
Old ladies could—and did.
"But the ribbons?" asked the Illustrator in a low voice, hoping that we didn't hear him.
"Come with me this day," urged the Soudanese. "Come with me to El Hamel, and I shall show you the most beautiful tomb of the most wondrous marabout in Africa or the United States— yes, and hung-with ribbons!" ”

“ He wanted to know any good reason for her faith accomplishing what his motor-car didn't want.
"Because," I confessed, "I, too, have faith that her faith can do it."
Then we snorted into Bou Saada with the moon for company again, all three of us ominously silent. Nor was the uneasy peace broken until my consort fell into my room, as I was tidying up for dinner, with the horrible information that Mary had already left the hotel and was making for the marabout. ”

“ Our brains were soft and mushy like the day. The Illustrator, to avoid fierce discussion, essayed a sketch of a muezzin tower rising from an old-fashioned graveyard which did not receive callers. Hadj, the page boy of our hotel, came along—as all Arabs do—and invited us into the courtyard of the mosque. We would be able to hear the cry to prayer very plainly from there. Hadj and his friends were welcome in the court, for he and his mother and little sister lived in part of the building. It was the mother's duty to clean the carpets. ”

“ Great moments are seldom as stupendous as we think they are going to be. Now that we had arrived in the domed presence of our search, the Illustrator grew petty over minor matters. He had a hard time shuffling about in the slippers that he was obliged to put on at the door to keep his unbelieving feet from off the carpet of the Faithful, and he said things that no man should utter in any church. ”

“ He led the way down steps, which one is continually doing in the Kasbah unless one is walking up them. He would explain nothing. Arriving at a lower level, he stopped before a hut. A filthy beggar lifted her body at our approach, and with skinny fingers indicated a collection of rain-washed ribbons tied upon rings sunk in the mortar of the wall. She lifted a ribbon.
"Marabout," she whined.
Mary and I were indignant. "Stuff and nonsense!" we told her.
"A marabout is a woman," I added.
"Or a harem," continued Mary, doubtful again.
"Or a hole in the door," the Illustrator sneered. ”

“ Mary had decided. We dismissed our old belief without effort, however. As the Illustrator said, no man, not even an Arab, could get so wild over a lady's neckpiece, and following this line of argument, he thought it, meaning the marabout, must be the lady at least. ”

“ Claiming a privilege which many of us would be proud to share, they put on their best trousers or possibly their husbands' best trousers, and in merry bands make their way to the cemetery, there to sit, unveiled, among the dead. ”

“ I agreed with him, suggesting, however, that the nail be not young, good looking, or a gentleman. And the Illustrator, in turn, accepted my addendum piously. "Besides," he added, "there are many other interests in Africa. ”