Halima

“ Halima—I may not.
Sindibad—It is not forbidden. I am thy husband's kinsman. Let me see thy face!
(Halima drops veil. Sindibad prostrates himself.)
Sindibad—I am thy slave forever, oh fairer than the day at dawn.
Halima—Arise! they will see thee!
Sindibad—And thou hast married the merchant Kodama! Awah! Awah!
Halima—Arise! Arise!
[14] Kodama—Why cryest thou awah? This is not a time for wailing. Dost lament for the maiden of the desert?
Sindibad—Her image has changed ... as sand upon the desert's face.
(CURTAIN)
Scene—The same. ”

“ Just, and the arrangement so entirely coinciding with her most ardent desire, Halima quickly became all smiles, and entered with avidity into his plans for giving it effect, and for making their escape together from Cairo at the earliest practical opportunity, to rejoin the Sheik. Both were aware that Halima was being watched, by Buonaparte's orders, to prevent the very thing they meditated; so the greatest circumspection would be needed. ”

“ Could he even live, a dishonored man, supposing he saved his life? Was Halima worth the sacrifice? Was any woman worth it? In the agonizing contest warring within him, the sweat came out in great drops upon his brow and streamed down his face. He put his hand into his pocket for his handkerchief, and, by accident, withdrew with it the locket containing the miniature of Halima—the locket that had turned aside Mahmoud's bullet and thus saved his life, and that he had preserved in all his wanderings. ”

“ How delightful!"
"By what name did your mother call you?"
"Alas! it is an Arab one; I am called Halima."
Hardly had the words escaped her lips, when the sound of two shots following rapidly upon each other reached their ears. Both started to their feet.
"Yusuf!" she cried in terror.
And he, "Oh for arms and ammunition. We have but our pistols and a few rounds."
"Do you want guns?" asked Halima. "It so, there are matchlocks in the house; and gunpowder, too. Come with me and I will show you where they are." ”

“ I have been asleep and feel refreshed for it. The sun has warmed my blood and put new strength in me. I will address my people while it lasts. Call all my warriors, and let them place themselves before me in due order."
"Oh! father," began Halima, "it is too much for you; it—"
"Be silent, child; I will have it so," he interrupted sternly.
She shrank back, cowed, and made no further effort to dissuade him.
Then the word was passed throughout the camp, and eagerly responded to.
When the whole tribe was gathered in front of him, Ben Ibrahim raised his hand, and every voice was stilled. ”

“ He is all I have, save you. Oh! tell them to make all speed. I must, I will see him before he dies, if die he must."
The tears gathered in her eyes, and she wept silently.
"My dearest, we could not go faster than we are," he said. "The wind is in our favor and is carrying us forward bravely. Bear up, my Halima, in the hope that Allah will so order it, that you shall see your father again." ”

“ They are men of probity and judgment; men who, like myself, have been watching and working secretly year by year, in the face of obstacles almost insurmountable, to complete our plans.
"If things go right when I am gone, Halima will be Queen of Upper Egypt, for she will be the head of a powerful tribe—the strongest and most ancient of all the desert tribes. You, as her husband, will then occupy a high position; but it will be to you no sinecure. I doubt not that, though you are now one of us, the creed and nationality you have abjured, will be urged against you. ”

“ Higher and higher they ascended; and now, for the first time, they could feel a cooler air blowing in their faces; it was but a breath, but it was there, and it added to their hope; this was no sulphur-laden blast—that was now behind them—but an earth-borne breeze.
"We are on the right track; we shall yet escape," cried St. Just, and there was a note almost of exultation in his voice. When one has been within the very jaws of death, even a short respite revives the fainting heart.
Suddenly Halima reeled against him and would have fallen, had he not supported her. ”

“ A slave is singing. Kodama is seated on the dais, while Halima comes in slowly and gazes anxiously at him. It is the next day.
Halima—Thy brows are still lowered. In what have I offended thee, my husband?
Kodama—Amber pools where men may—what do men find in thine eyes? ”

“ Next an Arab came in sight, and he leveled a matchlock at the captive man, who was standing with head bent low upon his breast. There was a puff of smoke; the human target bounded up in the air, then fell headlong from the rock and into space, disclosing in his fall the features of St. Just!
At this, Halima removed her gaze and uttered a piercing shriek; the spell was broken, the picture vanished; nothing but the smoke-black surface of the liquid in the bowl remained.
Then, "Mon Dieu!" she cried, "it cannot be; it must be false;" and, with that, fell fainting at the feet of Buonaparte. ”

“ St. Just shouted to one of his men; and Halima led them up a passage, halting at the end of it, before what seemed merely a wall panel. But she touched a knob that formed a portion of the Arabesque that decorated it; and, at the same time, pushed the panel. It opened on hinges, like an ordinary door, disclosing a room in which were arms of all sorts, the whole more or less old fashioned, and useless against disciplined troops, but that might be efficacious against a Cairo mob. At any rate, the matchlocks would make a noise, and firing blank cartridges often answers with a crowd. ”

“ Just had become a true believer and had renounced his country and adopted theirs, the grumblings gradually died away, except on the part of a few of the younger members of the tribe, who were partisans of the Sheik's banished nephew Yusuf, and had looked forward to his assuming the leadership at his uncle's death. There seemed little chance of this, they feared, now that Halima was married to a man beloved and trusted by her father. ”

“ I cannot let you go. Stay, my dear one, and let Abdallah take this treasure; he is to be trusted and will see that it be handed over safely. I am sure you need not go. Oh! would we had never seen this cursed gold!"
"Nay, my Halima," he replied sadly, and he stroked the silky head that lay against his breast; "go I must; I pledged my word to your dead father. It is hard enough, God knows, to part from you; don't make it harder for me by your tears. But our parting will not be for long, and, when we meet again, it will be for life. Before six months are passed, we shall be on our way to France." ”

“ At sunrise three days later my pretty companion was lying unveiled in her jakfi, smoking and chatting to me, her two women riding a little distance behind, when our guide suddenly raised a loud shout of warning which in a moment alarmed the whole caravan. Halima instinctively twisted her veil across her face as she inquired the cause.
The slave drew up his camel near her, replying, while he glanced to make certain that his gun was loaded, “Know, O beauteous Lalla, that we are discovered! Six mysterious, armed horsemen are spurring towards us!” ”

“ Halima—They say—thou lovest me not.
Kodama—As thou art a woman, and beautiful, I love thee ... no more ... no less. Thou art a woman. I have said it!
(Kodama puts Halima from him, and leaves [19] abruptly R. Halima for an instant puts out her hands pleadingly to Kodama's retreating back, and then with a hopeless little gesture drops her head on the cushions. One of the women picks up her lute, and sings a plaintive song. The young slave boy of Sindibad's appears L.)
Slave Boy—The young Sheykh Sindibad leaves for his father's tent in the desert, and would say farewell to his kinsman's lady. ”

“ Ali-Khan said submissively; and he returned, half an hour later, bearing many gifts, silk and bracelets and sweetmeats and perfume from Ispahan.
But Bibi Halima waved them aside with a short, impatient gesture. No, no, no, she did not want these man-made things. She wanted him to go to the hills to bring back to her the flowers of the hills, purple rhododendrons, soft-colored mimosas, and wild hibiscus smelling strongly of summer.
"Go to the hills, O pilgrim," added the old woman as she saw his anxious face. "We women need no man around in the hour of trial. Ho!" ”

“ Just and Halima recognized the doctor of the tribe. Halima at once rushed up to him.
"Oh! Ben Kerriman," she exclaimed, "My father! how is he? He is alive?"
"He is alive, Lady," Ben Kerriman made reply; "but he is very weak, and so worn that you will scarcely know him. Still the fever has now left him, and he suffers only from excessive weakness."
"I will go to him at once," she cried eagerly. "Dear father, I long to see him. Come, Henri."
A path was formed for them through the crowd, and they made their way to a large square tent, which St. Just, at once, recognized as the Sheik's ”

“ Times without number have I been the willing servant of thy people of Al-Islâm; nay, even to-day have I brought hither under my protection a fair woman of thy tribe, whom I assisted to escape from a harem in the land of thine enemies.”
“A woman?” he exclaimed, with an expression of surprise, and, turning to his attendants, asked, “Who is she?”
“She is named Halima, O Master,” answered Labakan. “To me hath she explained that the Infidel intended to convey her to his own land, and only by a ruse did she succeed in getting to our camp. ”

“ Just, because of his great love for Halima, blindly swore to do that which the Sheik should bid him.
Then the old man went on.
"Twelve hundred and fifty years after the coming of the Messiah to Jerusalem, one of my forefathers ruled in Egypt. Now the visitation of Christ gave rise to the prophecy that when a white man, a soldier, should come to us, Egypt would again be free. Now I, who am the last of the true princes of the land, believe you to be the man foretold, and it is for the furthering of my plans that I have brought you here. ”

“ And he held out a little packet that contained the miniature of Halima, together with a paper on which was inscribed in Arabic, "News of him to whom you gave this, and of your father, from whom the bearer has a message."
After looking St. Just up and down suspiciously, for the man had noticed that the few words the Frenchman had uttered had lacked the natural ring, the Arab took the packet, and admitted him to the courtyard, where he bade him wait.
Not a soul was there besides himself, yet memory peopled it for him with throngs of living, moving beings. ”

“ Just's fears were soon confirmed; the entrance to the passage was completely blocked by debris of stone and mortar.
"My God!" he exclaimed, "the whole temple has come down. If we had not sheltered in this passage, we should have been buried in the ruins."
"Better that than to be buried alive," said Halima; "we are hopelessly entrapped; doomed to die of slow starvation."
"God grant us a better fate! This passage must lead somewhere; it rises, and, most likely, will take us above ground. There is no cause for despair. ”

“ Having to carry their torches, they had but one arm for her.
They were resting, Halima lying on the ground, when suddenly St. Just clutched Mahmoud's arm convulsively and pointed ahead; he was too far gone to speak.
In the far distance was a tiny point of light.
Once more they took up Halima, who was still unconscious, and resumed their way, but now full of hope; and hope lent them strength.
Larger and larger grew the spot of light—not the lurid light from the horrid crater, but the white light of day—so that now they could almost see their way without their torches. Suddenly St. ”

“ She drew herself up proudly when she mentioned her tribe's name. "He will punish Yusuf either with banishment for ever from the tribe, or with death."
St. Just took the letter from her, but his hand trembled with excitement, and he could scarce find words in which to thank her, for stress of the passion that was surging like a torrent in his breast. He tried to stem it, but it would not be confined, and at last broke forth.
"Oh, Halima!" he cried. "It is not the perils of the desert that alarm me; what cuts me to the heart is that I must leave you; for I love you, I love you ”

“ He knew that Halima was in Cairo, for he had given orders that she was to be watched, though unknown to her, and not allowed to leave—a selfish precaution he had taken, in case he should care to renew his intercourse with her.
However, for the moment, there were weightier matters to engage his thoughts. He turned again to some papers he had received from Paris, his consideration of which had been interrupted by the despatches from Admiral Gantheaume.
After studying them for some time attentively, he spoke aloud. "Things seem going badly in Paris. Those directors are not to be trusted. ”

“ If he was liberal in promises, his slaves were prodigal; they would bring down the moon to him from Heaven, much more Leonisa, if only he gave them an opportunity of speaking with her. "Mario shall have one whenever he pleases," said the cadi, "for I will make Halima go for some days to the house of her parents, who are Greek Christians, and when she is away I will order the porter to admit Mario into the house as often as he pleases, and I will tell Leonisa that she may converse with her countryman whenever she has a mind." ”

“ Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Seventy-first Night, She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the slave-girl went in to the twain and gave each of them a cup of night-drink, and they drank and fell asleep. Presently, in came Halimah and said, “O good-for-nothing, how canst thou sleep and call thyself a lover? A lover sleepeth not!” Then she mounted on his breast and ceased not to come down upon him with kisses and caresses, biting and sucking his lips and so forth, till the morning, when she put in his pocket a knife and sent her handmaid to arouse them. ”