The morning times., 1895-12-25
A COOUETTE IN THE HAREM.
sun francisco Argonaut.

in Isuahan At the end of three munths
had finished my task, but If 1 returned
home at once the department would neve
have believed that l was man OF an,
depth. | was just about bored to death
when luckily there was u change of gov
ernment. The shah sent, in place of th'
former governor, his cousin, Malcolm-k han
He had Travelled in France, accompanied by
Mehmed-Aga, his officer af ordnance. Meh
med-Aga had the rank of general, ur rather
that of sertip, to use the Persian term.
l remembered him well-a young man o
about thirty, gentlemanly fellow. some
thing OF a swell, who dined with me severa
times in Paris. You can appreciate my
JOY in meeting him again away OFF there
In a week the Aga and l were inseparable
One morning l was dreamily riding
through the city. giving myself up for the
hundredth time TO the feeling that was III
fairyland. Imagine Immense avenues, Dor
dered on the right and an the lett with
arcades, and shaded by gigantic plane trees
at whose feet are streams uf running
water. / was nearing the kiosk OF Tchechei
Sutoun when l saw at the street corner
a woman in a litter.
As n general thing. Persian women on the
street are like nothing much as bundles.
They are yeiled, of course, or rather they
wear upon their heads a kind OF striped cur
tain. which covers the face. Oddly enough,
conceal her figure, which was slender and
graceful. and / could see her large eyes
cleaning like Goals of fire. Ny horse was
walking, and l made him follow very
slowly the bearers of the litter. 1t seemed
To me that the unknown looked back once
or twice, but, after all, as adventures of
this kind in the East are somewhat unsatis-
factory. | paid only slight attention TO the
matter.
l had almost forgotten the occurrence
when. two days later, again met the litter.
This time l was not alone. Mehmed-Aga
was walking with me. AT tthe first glance
l recognized the yeile1 lady. and especially
remembered those extraordinary eyes. As
before, she looked back, but this time the
action was more pronounced. glanced at
the Aga, but he pretended to have noticed
nothing. We walked along in this way
for about ten minutes, when the litter
suddenly turned toward the Djoulffa bridge.
This bridge is one of the most beautiful
sights in the world. 1t has thirty-three
enormous arches, and spans that capricious
stream, the Zend-DehrOud. The bridge is
somewhat of popular resort for evening
prOmenades, and so hesitated about fol-
lowing my unknown openly for fear of com
promising her. But there was no hesitation
on her part. Suddenly She leaned half way
out of the litter and dropped her handker-
chief upon the pavement. / picked it up,
8 HARE NJ
During the rest of the walk the Aga was
silent, biting his moustache with preoc-
cuped air. When we reached the palace
he said Come il" and when we We're alone
in his study he began:
my dear friend. made no comments
little while ago. But instead OF keeping that
handkerchief pressed tenderly aginst your
heart, you must throw it into the fire.
''You wish me to do so?''
81 do not wish that you should have your
throat cut and be thrown into the river.
/ am in charge of the police of the city, and
/ am responsible for you to the French lega-
tion. You are astonishing people, you
Parisans. You think yourselves always
upon the boulevards. We are in the Orient
my friend, and in the Orient husbands are
not TO be trifled with. AT Paris it may be
different, Your unknown is not unknown
to me. Her maine is Nissa."
''NiSsa?"
'If the name is charming the husba nd
is not AT ali so. He is one Astoulla, Il very
wealthy merchant. famous for his violence
and lis jealousy. He occupies that house on
the river bank just at the end of the bridge.
His mother was OF English descent. but his
own manners are wholly Oriental. He
would kill you like a dog
Formerly" said the Aga, "unfaithful
wives used TO be sowD up in sacks and
a.
now. Once live cat would have been put
in the sack. When maddened by the water
the cat would tear the womaD's face. This
Is no longer done. AT least the cat is left
ont. The Influence of Europe" he added
dryly.
The little conversation somewhat damp
ened my ardor. Moreover, Mehmed-A ga
had the good taste 10 drop the matter there
/ dined with him, and in the evening he
called in musicians, who played for us
eastern melodies. But / was preocCupied.
Constantly before my eyes that graceful
figure was bending out of the litter, and
a little hand was dropping handker-
chief. \ persistent voice was singing in
my ear, like the refrain of baIlad;.'Nissa,
Nissai Naturally suffered all that night
from nightmare. l dreamed that some one
had given me an immense cat named As
toulla, which was trying to tear my face.
awoke at the next morning, completely
disenchantcd.
In the evening was alone upon the terrace
in the rear of my house, when a horrible
looking Old woman suddenly entered from
the lower door.
Are you brave?" she said.
l smiled with that seIf-conceit which a
man always feels when asked such a cues
ton. She continued:
81 came TO propose 10 you walk. 1t
is night. No one viii see us. You are to
follow me. when half way shall blind
fold you, but you must swear to me not TO
attempt TO find out where | an leading
YOU"
! promised. The day, you see, had passed
over my fears. the effects of the nightmare
were little by li,tlefading way, and heal rd
that persistent voice still singing in my ear:
''Nissa. Nissan' The old woman evidently
came from her. 1 hurried to my room and
got a small revolver. Five minutes later
we were on our way. 1t was mad, absurd:
confess il freely. But there are follies
about which one does not stop TO reason.
When we had come to the Djoulffa bridge
the old woman stopped and took from her
pocket thick handkerchief which she pro-
ceedcd very deftly to bind over my eyes.
could see no longer. Then she grasped
my hand, and allowed her to lead me. BY
the increased coolness of the air conjec-
tured tfat we were crossing the river. In n
a few seconds the oil d woman turned to the
right, but we were not quitting the banks
of the Zend-Dehroud. l could hear its tur-
bulent waters rolling by and breaking for
an Instant against the arches of the bridge.
At last my guide paused, a key grated, and
In whisper she said:
GO up"
Five steps only. and then felt that my
feet were pressing a soft. thick carpet
At tie same moment she removed the hand
kerchicf. / found myself in a small room,
dimly lighted by copper lamp. Incense
was burning In a richly chased censer rest
ing upon table of red and green mosaic,
and filling the room with those oriental
odors which iDtoxicate one like the fra
grance OF old wine. Against the walls
hung with yellow cashmere were musical
Instruments, and here and there arms in
the midst of pendant chains and neck
laces IFrombelow came thedulland regular
Of the river. By lifting little
drapery from the window 1 saw that The
water touched the very walls OF the house.