Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-23


parts of the houses above were siIyered
by the moon.
l was making for that cramped little
courtyard adjoining the shop OF Moham-
med er-Rahman, in which l had oh.
served the presence Of one Of those mar
row high wheeled carts peculiar to the
district. and rs the entrance thereto
from the Suk was closed by a rough
wooden fence anticipated little DIM
Guilty In gaining access. Yet there was
one difficulty which had not foreseen,
and which had not met with had ar
rived, al might have arranged to do,-a
little earlier Coming to the corner of
the Street Of the Perfumers. cautiously
rrotruded my head In order to survey
the prospect.
Abu Tabah was standing Immediately
outside OF the shop Of Mohammed err
Rahman!
Ny heart gave q great leap as drew
back into the shadow, for I counted his
presence of evil omen to the success Of
my enterprise. Then, swift revelation,
the truth burst In upon my mind. He
was there in the capacity Of imam ana
and attendant magician at the mystical
blessing Of the perfumes! With cau-
tious tread retraced my steps, circled
around the mosque and made for the
narrow street which runs parallel with
that Of the Perfumers and into which
knew the courtyard beside Mohammed's
shop must open. What did not know
that end.
I experienced unexpected difficulty
in locating the place, for the height
of the buildings about me rendered 1t
impossible to pick up any familiar
landmark. Finally, having twice re-
traced by steps. I determined that
door of old but strong workmanship
set in a high, thick wall must COM
municate with the courtyard; for
could see no other opening to the
right or left through which 1t would
have been possible for a vehicle to
pass.
climbed the wall and looked down
into the little court. A sigh of relief
escaped me; for the narrow cart with
its disproportionate wheels stood
there as had seen 1t in the morning,
Its shafts pointing gauntly upward to
where the moon Of the prophets ma
tivity swan in a cloudless sky.
Having studied the situation very
carefully. I presently perceived to my
great satisfaction that whilst the tail
of the cart was wedged under a cross
bar. which retained it in its position,
one of the shafts was in reach of my
hand. Thereupon intrusted my
weight to the shaft, swinging out
over the well Of the courtyard. So
successful was I that only a faint
creaking sound resulted; and I de-
scended into the vehicle almost ST.
lently. w.
Having assured myself that my
presence was undiscovered by Abu
Tabah. stood up cautiously, my
hands resting upon the wall, and
peered through the little window into
the room. Its appearance had chang
ed somewhat. The lamp was lighted
and shed a weird and subdued illumi-
nation upon a rough table placed al
most beneath 1t. Upon this table were
scales. measures. curiously shaped
TASKS and Odd-looking chemical ap-
paratus which might have been made
in the days OF Avicenna himself. At
one end Of the table stood an alembic
over a little pan in which burnt spir-
ituous fame. Mohammed cr-Rahman
was placing cushions upon the divan
Immediately beneath me. but there
was no one else in the room. Glanc-
ing upward. noted that the height
Of the neighboring building prevent
ed the moonlight from penetrating
into the courtyard. SO that my pres
ence could not be detected by means
of any light from without: and, since
the whole of the upper part Of the
room was Swallowed, saw little cause
for apprehension within.
At this moment came the sound of
car approaching along the Sharia
-Sharawani. I heard it stop. near
the Mosque of el-Ashref, and in the
almost perfect stiffness OF those tor
tuous streets from which by day
arises a very babel OF tongues heard
approaching footsteps. crouch ed
down in the cart, as the footsteps
came nearer, passed to the end Of the
courtyard abutting on the street, OF
the Perfumers, and paused before the
shop OF Mohammed er-Rahman. The
musical voice Of Abu Tabah spoke
and that of the Lady Zuleyka an