Volume I Part 43 (2/2)
”'Coucou,' he commenced, quietly, 'one never kno these skirmishes may end, and for the sake of life and death listen to me Behold--I have yet a mother--she lives in Marseilles, in the Allee de Meillan, and is called Mada should befallto ?” said Monte-Cristo, wonderfully loole word, Mercedes took a sier, and handed it to the count, who looked at the si-ring which Edmond Dantes once presented to the Catalan, Mercedes
”Pardon, Edave Albert the ring as a talis hi,” continued Coucou ”I knew that nobody would so easily kill the captain, and if misfortune should come to pass, itit was in vain, and so I consented to it Discipline goes above all! We started and soon reached the defile; not a Bedouin could be discovered, and only a few distant barren rocks looked rather suspicious Night set in: we thought of preparing our supper, but suddenly a curious noise could be heard, and the next moment ere surrounded by a swar in quick succession, were enough to rouse the dead; but continually fresh coht for our lives Upon a bare rock I suddenly espied a Bedouin, who had the barrel of his musket--God knows from whom he had stolen it--just pointed at the captain I made a leap, reached the rock, and took hold of the brown devil, but at that very moment both of us tumbled down more than twenty feet, and I became senseless”
”But the captain?” asked the count
”Only a little patience, you will know all I know When I awoke again, it was just the dawn of day--how it happened that I did not break my neck is to me even now inexplicable I looked about for hborhood I called out--everything remained quiet; and thus I rose with painful limbs and reached the place where we had encahtand mutilated--they had all been beheaded! Even to this day I feel the terrible horror which overcaid bodies, and if I were to live to see a hundred years, never shall I forget the awful spectacle
”After a while I began to look about a the various bodies, and suddenly, in allthe slain Had the Bedouins carried him away? I called out And only the hoarse cry of the hyena, which waited solely for my departure to fall upon the corpses, was the answer I received I could not atteround was rocky and I possessed no tools for that purpose I spoke a short prayer for the slain, supplied ot back to the camp as well as I could
”When I related there what had happened, nobody at first would believe me--they reproachedleft my comrades! I became vexed; I demanded a detachment to accompany me and returned to the scene of horror There a still ht met me--the animals of the desert had already eaten the corpses, and only bloody bones and portions of uniforms indicated the spot where the surprise had taken place Now, of course, they all were ready to believe me; we sent out scouts to all sides in order to obtain traces of the captain Large amounts were offered to Arabian deserters if they would deliver up their prisoners, but to no purpose; the earth seeht I had found some trace of hiarded as sorcerers by their country, or as we supposed as a spy An officer inquired of the man in my presence about Captain Joliette, but he pretended to know nothing, saying he had never heard the name, yet his eyes betrayed his treachery--oh, these Kabyles are all desperate fellows, scoundrels of the worst description”
”Did you communicate your opinion to the officer?” inquired the count
”Certainly; he at first laughed atcalled a second time, he had already disappeared”
”What was the naht it was Elak Achel, or so like it”
”Can you describe his appearance--had he bony cheeks, large, projecting ears, and a long, pointed beard?”
”Truly, I could almost believe the marshal must have seen the scamp,”
said Coucou, quite astonished
”Ah, no, I only guessed at it I know some races in the desert which correspond to the description you give But another question: does it sound perhaps like Radjel el Achem?”
”Sapristi, that was the naain,” said Coucou, quite delighted
Mercedes rose, encouraged by fresh hopes, but Monte-Cristo put his hand softly upon her ar deceived The words I have just spoken signify nothing--nothing but 'great sorcerer,' and are the general appellation of the people who operate in the south of the Algeric Sahara”
The words which Monte-Cristo quietly spoke did not fail to take effect upon Mercedes She dropped her hands and stared sorrowfully through the
”Is that all you know?”--the count turned toward the Zouave
”Unfortunately, nonoticed by Mercedes, he er upon the lips
”In order to fulfil h and came to France I had scarcely arrived in Paris when I was ordered to this place I brought Mada, and told her what I had experienced Alas! if I could only find our captain again; but, I am afraid, it is almost i a supplicating look at the count
”Sergeant Coucou,” said Monte-Cristo, with earnest mien, ”a man should never speak of is which others thought impossible”
”Yes, if you, as our commander, would take the ht the Zouave, confidently