The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-04-03
Chapter 21
MARGARET PERPLEXED

The foot of the staircase that led up to the apartments of the Lady El Isa Beth el Ain, who was also the Sonora Maligni, an old man clad in dirty hooded cloak, rose fiom the great squared stone thaI was at once a mounting block and doorstep.
 T want to see .' began Mar garet, and, as the man shook his
 head, realized that it was useles to speak to him in English.
 "Je desire .' and again the man shook his head, and, with up- lifted out-spread hand, signed to her to stay where she was, while with the other he pointed first to himself and then to the stairs.
 In the shadow of the vast wall of the courtyard, Margaret waited un- til Hassen el Miskeen, reappear- ing, beckoned to her to come with him.
 Followed by Margaret, the door keeper climbed three steep flights of stairs and traversed several dark and airless stone corridors.
 At another heavy iron-studded door he halted, unfastened it, push ed it open and held aside heavy curtain for Margaret to enter.
 The conversation that ensued was difficult and unsatisfactory, both by reason of the ladies lack of proficiency in one of their mutual languages-which were English and French-and by reason of what Margaret considered the others un- reasonable attitude.
 "Yes, my son Jules IS here" Mar garet understood her to say in her curious English and still more faul- ty French. He is ill-very ill It is your fault. If he could have stayed with me, he would never have learnt these nasty foreign habits. And why are you so cold? And why are not obedient to Jules, as good wife should always be to her husband?"
 In English where she could, and in French where she must, Mar garet endeavored to point out that it was only when he had returned to his own country that Jules had developed bad habits, and that in England he had been as abstemi- ous as the average English gentle man and had never, on any occa- sion, so far as she knew, drunk more than was good for him. Whereat the mother shrugged and looked skeptical.
 Nor should Fl Isa Beth el Ain forget that she too had English blood in her veins, and that an English wife held a position very different from that of an Arab wife. They were not slaves, and it was not expected of them that they should be unquestioningly obedient to their husbands. They were their husbands partners, and equals-not their chattels.
 Jules is not my master"
 Isn't he your husband? Aren's you married?"
 Yes, he is my husband"
 Very we'll then ?"
 Tn any case" Margaret pointed out, there is no question of my leaving my husband. I'm not talk ing of my leaving here alone. Jules will accompany me, of course. We only came here on a visit"
 "A visit" smiled Fl Isa Beth el Ain. Apparently Jules doesn't tell you as much as he tells his mother. It will be a long visit.n "Why?"
 Why? Because this is his home. or at any rate, Morocco is his home. He has got to come into his fathers business and that is here in Mekazzen and Tangier, and sometimes in Gibraltar where my mother came from, and in Mar seilles.n
 ' T am certainly not going to live in Morocco said Margaret
 Then it's a pity you married a man who is"
 Yes"
 El Isa Beth el Ain shrugged elo- quent shoulders.
 Anyhow said Margaret, T will see Jules now"
 He is sleeping. He is very ill" All the more reason why T should be with him. If he is in T am the proper person to nurse him.
 Mothers sometimes make good nurses. I will nurse him"
 "1'll help you then smiled Mar garet Automatically.
 Sarah is helping me-" was the reply.
 Look here" said Margaret an grily, rising from the divan. This is all nonsense. Where's my hns- band? I'm going to him now I in sist.n
 The Lady Fl Isa Beth el Ain smiled tolerantly.
 People don't insist here mv child, she said. No one does that except the Kaid-or zainub and Raisul through the Kaid. Insistlv