Part 16 (1/2)
The Governor, after embracing the odalisk, strolled thoughtfully through the labyrinth of fragrant trees where the paths were covered by coloured pebbles and a whole army of domesticated birds made their nests in the trees. Yffim Beg follows them at a little distance, and not a movement escapes his keen eyes, not so much as a sigh eludes his sharp ears; he keeps a strict watch on all that Azrael does and says.
In the midst of their walk--they hadn't gone a hundred paces--a falcon rose before them from among the trees and perched on a poplar close by.
”Look, sir, what a beautiful falcon!” cried Yffim Beg.
Azrael laughed aloud and looked back.
”Oh, my good Beg, how canst thou take a wood-pigeon for a falcon? why it _was_ a wood-pigeon.”
”I took good note of it, Azrael, and there it is sitting on that poplar.”
”Why, that's better still--now he calls a nut-tree a poplar. Eh, eh!
worthy Beg, thou must needs have been drinking a little to see so badly.”
”Well, that was what I fancied,” said the Beg, much perplexed, and for the life of him not perceiving the point of the jest. Why should the odalisk make a fool of him so?
”But look then, my love,” said Azrael, appealing to the Pasha; ”thou didst see that bird fly away from the tree yonder, was it not a wood-pigeon flying from a nut-tree?”
Ha.s.san saw neither the tree nor the bird, but he pretended he did, and agreed with the odalisk.
”Of course it was a wood-pigeon and a nut-tree.”
Yffim Beg did not understand it at all.
They went on further, and presently Yffim Beg again spoke.
”Shall we not turn, my master, towards that beautiful arcade of rose-trees?”
Azrael clapped her hands together in amazement.
”What! an arcade of roses! Where is it?”
”Turn in that direction and thou wilt see it.”
”These things! Why if he isn't taking some sumach trees full of berries for an arcade of rose-trees!”
Ha.s.san Pasha laughed. As for Yffim Beg he was lost in amazement--why did this damsel choose to jest with him in this fas.h.i.+on?
At that moment a cannon shot resounded from the Pesth sh.o.r.e.
”Ah!” said the Pasha, stopping, ”a cannon shot!”
”Yes, my master,” said Yffim, ”from the direction of Pesth.”
”From Pesth indeed,” said Azrael, ”it was from Buda; it was the signal for closing the gate.”
”I heard it plainly.”
”Excuse me, my good Beg, but thy hearing is as bad as thy sight. I am beginning to be anxious about thee. How could it be from the direction of Pesth when the whole camp has crossed over to Buda?”