Part 19 (2/2)

Among the first who fled to that shelter was the valiant Rais Ali. He entered with a trembling frame and pale visage about the time the incidents we have described were being enacted, and found Colonel Langley, with the aid of Ted Flaggan, engaged in preparing the various rooms of the building for the reception of those who, from past experience, he expected to require them.

”Why, Rais! what ails you?” demanded Colonel Langley in surprise, not unmingled with anger, for he had, on leaving home, placed the interpreter in charge of his family in his suburban villa.

”Oh! ma.s.s'r,” said Ali piteously; ”yous no know wat dangers me hab if de janissary cotch me. Life not wuth wone b.u.t.tin.”

”Rascal!” exclaimed the Colonel, ”did I not charge you to guard my household? How dare you forsake your post? Are you not under my protection?”

”Ah! yis, yis, ma.s.s'r; but--but--yous no know de greatness of me danger--”

”Go, scoundrel!” exclaimed the Colonel, losing all patience with him; ”return to your duty as fast as your horse can carry you, else I shall hand you over to the janissaries.”

”You hears what yer master says, don't 'ee?” said Ted Flaggan, who viewed the infidelity and cowardice of the interpreter with supreme disgust, as he seized him by the nape of the neck and thrust him towards the door. ”Git out, ye white-livered spalpeen, or I'll multiply every bone in yer body by two.”

Rais Ali went with extreme reluctance, but there was no resisting the persuasive violence of Ted's powerful arm, nor the emphatic kick of the muscular leg with which he propelled his Moorish friend into the street.

He did not wait, however, to remonstrate, but immediately drew forward the hood of his burnous and hurried away.

Just then Bacri entered, conducting a number of women and children who sought sanctuary there.

”Some of my people have need of the British arm to protect them,” said the Jew, with a sad smile.

”And they shall have it,” said the consul, taking Bacri by the hand.--”See them attended to, Flaggan,” he added, turning to the seaman.

”Ay, ay, sir.--This way, my dears,” said Ted, waving his hand with a fatherly air to the group of weeping women and children, and conducting them to one of the large chambers of the house, where Mrs Langley and Paulina had already spread out bedding, and made further preparations for a large party.

”Do you think, Bacri,” said the consul, as the other was about to depart, ”that there is much chance of Hamet succeeding?”

”I do,” answered the Jew. ”Achmet is now become very unpopular. He is too kind and generous to suit the tastes of the soldiers, and you are aware that the janissaries have it all their own way in this city.”

This was indeed the case. The Turkish soldiers were extremely insolent and overbearing, alike to Moors and Jews, one of the privileges they claimed being to enter the gardens of the inhabitants whenever they pleased--not excepting those of the consuls--and eat and destroy fruit and vegetables at will.

”Achmet's party,” added Bacri, ”is not strong, while that of Hamet is not only numerous but influential. I fear much that the sands of his gla.s.s are nearly run out.”

”It is a woeful state of things,” observed the Colonel, while a slight flush mantled on his cheek--possibly at the thought of his having, as the representative of a civilised power, to bow his head and recognise such barbarians. ”And you, Bacri, will you not also stay here?”

”No. There are others of my people who require my aid. I go to join them. I trust that Hamet's promise--if he succeeds--will sufficiently guard me from violence. It may be that they will respect my position.

In any case I stay not here.--Farewell.”

When the Jew had left, the consul turned to superintend the arrangements of his house, which by this time had a.s.sumed the appearance of a hospital or prison--so numerous and varied were the people who had fled thither for refuge.

Chief among the busy ones there was the ebony damsel from beyond the Zahara, whose tendency to damage Master Jim and to alarm Jim's mamma has already been remarked on more than once. Zubby's energies were, at the time, devoted to Paulina, in whom she took a deep interest. She had made one little nest of a blanket for her baby Angelina, and another similar nest for Master Jim, whose head she had b.u.mped against the wall in putting him into it--without awaking him, however, for Jim was a sound sleeper, and used to b.u.mps. She was now tearfully regarding the meeting of Paulina with her sister Angela. The latter had been brought to the consulate by Bacri, along with her mistress and some other members of the Jew's household, and the delight of the two sisters at this unexpected meeting afforded the susceptible Zubby inexpressible--we might almost say inconceivable--joy, as was evidenced by the rising of her black cheeks, the shutting of her blacker eyes, and the display of her gorgeous teeth--front and back--as well as her red gums.

”Oh! I'm _so_ glad,” exclaimed Angela, sitting down on a mat beside her sister, and gazing through her tears.

”So am I, darling,” responded Paulina, ”and so would baby be if she were awake and understood it.”

Zubby looked as if she were on the point of awaking baby in order to enable her to understand it; fortunately she thought better of this.

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