Part 18 (1/2)

'Monsieur,' I said to him, 'I am Mirza. I would not _sell_ myself to you, but if you will take me as a gift, behold, here am I.' He took me to Paris, to Vienna, to St. Petersburg. For a year he did not tire of me. That was a long time for a savage to amuse a Grand Duke, was it not? Then one day he gave me money, bade me keep the jewels he had given me, and sent me back to Biskra. Since then I have been, first a dancing-girl, and then, the mother of them all. I have never given the authorities any trouble. I have observed the laws of France. What will the laws of France do for me?” and she handed to the commandant the invoice which Abdullah had brought with his freight.

The commandant read the paper and his face grew troubled.

”Chancellor,” he said, ”is this binding?”

The lawyer read the paper twice. ”Yes,” he said, ”it is a mere hiring; it is not a sale. I don't see how we can interfere.”

”Mirza,” said the commandant, ”it seems that you have a good contract, under Moslem law.”

”Excellent,” cried the _oukil_, rubbing his hands.

”Silence,” thundered the commandant. ”Speak French, and that only when you are spoken to. Abdullah, have you anything which you wish to say to me?”

Abdullah bent and whispered in the ear of the girl who sat trembling; then he stepped forward.

”Monsieur le Commandant,” he said, ”will you have the kindness to read this?” and he held out a paper. It was yellow with age and of quarto size and twice folded. The commandant took it, unfolded it, and read aloud, ”_The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen_.”

”Why, this is the last page of a Bible,” he said.

”I do not know,” said Abdullah. ”He tore it from a book upon his table.

It was the only paper that he had. Upon the other side is writing.”

The commandant reversed the paper and again read:

_THIS is to Certify that on the nineteenth day of February, 187-, in the Oasis of Zama, in the Great Sahara, having first baptized them, I did unite in marriage Philip (formerly Abdullah) and Marie (formerly Nicha), in accordance with the rites of our holy Church_.

JOSEPH, _Who Keeps Goats_.

_Witness_, his Ali, _the son of Ali_ X mark

her ZINA, _parentage unknown_ X mark

”Ah, ha,” exclaimed the lawyer, ”this changes the complexion of affairs,” and he threw the cards upon the floor. ”I could swear to Joseph's handwriting, I have his IOU's, but as I am now sitting as a magistrate, I cannot swear to anything. Where are the witnesses, Abdullah?”

”With the camels, across the square,” said Abdullah; ”if you will permit the corporal to go for them--”

”Pardon,” said the _oukil_; ”if I am permitted to speak I can save you the trouble. We admit all that the goatherd certifies.”

”Then,” said the chancellor, ”you admit yourselves out of court, since, if one Christian marries another, the law of France obtains, and this contract which Mirza produces is abhorrent to the law of France, being immoral.”

”Pardon,” said the _oukil_. ”In every word you speak I recognize my master, but is it not possible that my master may nod? As one of a conquered people, I have studied the code of my conqueror. It is true that a religious ceremony has been performed here, but how about the civil marriage which, as I read the French code, is absolutely necessary?”

The lawyer sat silent. Then he put out his hand. ”My friend,” he said, ”I have done you a great wrong. I have looked upon you as a mere religionist. It seems that you are a student. You remind me of my duty.

I, as the chief legal officer of this colony, should marry these people at once. Thank you many times for reminding me.”

”Pardon,” said the _oukil_; ”but if I have read the laws of France aright, there cannot be a civil marriage without the consent of the parents.”

”My friend,” said the lawyer, ”will you place me doubly in your debt by shaking hands with me a second time? If you were to exchange your green turban for the silk hat of the boulevards, your photograph would soon be in the shops. You know my law much better than I know yours, and I shake hands with you intellectually, not socially. Who is your father, Abdullah?” he asked.