Volume I Part 72 (2/2)
”All stepped reverently back, and while the terrible pain forced the hot tears out of my eyes they fell on their knees before ible words The man who had saved me was a powerful sheik of the Khouans I did not then understand the e, and I was conveyed still further into the desert From time to time I fell into a semi-comatose condition, and while my limbs became convulsed I uttered incoherent words, which the old women proclaimed to be prophecies Much later I discovered that they had put me in this terrible condition by means of opiates That is how they wanted to make me a Khouan priestess
”Finally, when I was sixteen years of age, the sheik who had saved my life wanted to make me his wife He was my father's and mother's assassin, and I hated hier into him For weeks I lay between life and death, and when I recovered I deterht attack on the Ajassuas tribe, as the Khouan caste was terood my escape, and wandered on and on until I sank senseless froround
”When I recoveredbrook, the clear, cool water of which slaked er Guidingto find some Frenchman who had been lea at me from the bushes I wanted to cry for help, but I could not The next minute I felt the sharp claws of the wild beast on round
”I awoke under the kind care of athe wound on my shoulder That man who had saved me from the panther's clutches was Captain Joliette Days of ineffable bliss followed The captain took me into his French camp and surrounded me with every care and attention I called him my 'little papa' Oh, how I love him! I could place my hands under his feet He becae The other soldiers were also kind to ain The days I spent in the French camp were as if spent in paradise But alas, ht I awoke in e noise For an instant I saw the black face and glea eyes of an Ajassua, then they disappeared and I discovered that the canvas of er”
As Medje related this incident Monte-Cristo could not repress a slight shudder Had not Spero had the same experience, and was not the canvas of his tent slit in the saer threatened him?
”I could not sleep any more,” continued Medje, ”and as soon as day came I hastened to the captain's tent He was on the point of starting out on an expedition with twenty ed hihed at my fears, kissed me on the forehead, and rode off at the head of his small detachht came and the captain did not return I becaazed fixedly down the roadway Suddenly I feltforced in my mouth, my hands and feet were bound with silken cords, and then powerful hands liftedspeed
”How long thewas taken fronized the sheik of the Ajassuas, as bending over me
”'This time you shall not escape from me,' he declared, and the ride was continued for three days and three nights before we cala, that terrible city in whose streets blood flows in streaht into a solid tower of Kiobeh, and the fearful attendants, who saw in ain surroundedto starve to death, but I laid aside this idea, as I had a presentiment that I would still be of some service to my friend Two days later I heard a terrible noise in the street, and hastening to the gratedof ht which frozebrown cloaks carried a bier , and with closed eyes, lay my protector, Captain Joliette
”I shook et out and die with ive way At this instant I felt myself pulled back, and the man who had dared to make love to me stood before me
”'Medje,' he said, 'the Frenchman who stole you is in our hands'
”'And you will kill him, coward,' I cried
”'No, not yet,' he replied with a smile; 'look!'
”I did so, and saw the captain carried on the bier through the low iron gate
”'They will put this Christian, as you call him, in a dark cell and keep his for death'
”'And ill you do with me?' I asked
”'Keep you for iveso I told him I would be his if he would set the captain at liberty He hesitated at first, but finally accepted I ed me to do the same
”'Leave me,' I then said, 'and when you have fulfilled your word, return'
”He went, and I stood at thehour after hour The fatal door did not open On the fourth day I learned the reason An order had been issued prohibiting the setting at liberty of any prisoner, and the man to whom I had sworn the oath had quarrelled with the others on account of the order, and had been killed My hope to serve e ru immediate massacre, and I knew not whether Captain Joliette was alive or dead I could noalk about Uargla where I pleased, and I detere of the strange superstition in which I was still held The sentinel tree words which came into my head He thren his weapons and fled I passed out of Uargla and strayed into the desert Allah has guided my footsteps to you You will save hirant your wishes!” said Monte-Cristo, as, leaving the tent, he suet ready to depart at once
”Hurrah! we're off at last!” cried Coucou, throwing his cap in the air
At this instant a discharge of musketry was heard Monte-Cristo hastened in the direction of the sound, followed by Coucou and about fifty men
The camp appeared to be surrounded, yet, at a shrill cry, which seenal, the horsemen suddenly wheeled about and dashed away