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Updated: June 27, 2025
"If you had the wealth of a king," said Ashweesha, with a smile, "you could not ransom the half of them, they are so numerous." "I am too well aware of that," rejoined the other sadly; "nevertheless, that does not exempt me from my duty. In the laws of my heavenly King and Saviour Jesus Christ it is written `Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might."
Achmet sank exhausted on one of the couches of the vestibule, regardless of the din which was made by the mob outside in their vain endeavours to batter down the strong oaken door. "Do not give way," said Ashweesha, falling on her knees beside him, and resting his head tenderly on her shoulder, "there are many who love you in the city. Escape over the terraces to the house of Jacob the Jew.
Believing that his silence was the result of sheer obstinacy, and that the truth might perhaps be extorted from his daughter, the cruel monster had the gentle Ashweesha dragged from her apartments and subjected to the bastinado. "Dreadful!" exclaimed the consul. "Where is she now?"
"Ashweesha, thou art a wise woman. I might almost style thee my guardian angel, for not only hast thou often guided me on the right road, but sometimes thou hast prevented me from straying into the wrong." Ashweesha, who was a sweet and passably good-looking woman of about thirty, raised her large dark eyes to the face of Achmet with a look of gratitude, but did not reply.
Ask her and her little girl to come and dine with me," said Ashweesha. "That would be a high compliment," returned the Dey dubiously; "such as has never been paid before, methinks, by a Dey of Algiers to any consul's wife." "No matter," returned the Sultana; "you have a high regard for Colonel Langley, and have often paid him unusual compliments, why not compliment his wife?"
He has many hiding-places, and will assuredly aid you." "I will try, for your sake, Ashweesha," said Achmet, starting up; "I have little hope, it is true, for my enemies are too strong for me, but it were cowardly to fail for want of an effort. Allah bless thee, my wife!" He kissed her, and immediately made for the staircase that led to the terrace.
"Nay, then, Ashweesha," returned the Dey, laughing, "thou hast studied the lady to small profit if thou dost believe her capable of acting the part of a spy on her own domestics." "And thou hast studied thy wife to small profit," retorted Ashweesha playfully, "if you think I could make such a mistake as to ask her to become a spy.
"I grieve to hear that," said the consul earnestly, for he saw that the man was in no jesting humour. "Let me know what distresses you." "Sidi Cadua," said Bobi. "What! the father of poor Ashweesha, widow of my late friend Achmet Dey?" said the consul. "Yis. Hush! Omar Dey de divl," growled Bobi in a low tones, "gits the berry stones to listen an' reports wat peepil say."
"Listen," said the Dey, laying aside his pipe and talking earnestly; "it may well chance, as it has happened before, that thy counsel may lighten my care. I am sad because two of my chief officers are snakes in the grass. They are venomous too, and their bite will prove deadly if it be not avoided. Canst thou guess their names, Ashweesha?" "Sidi Omar and Sidi Hassan," said Ashweesha.
Here she was received ceremoniously by the father of Ashweesha, Sidi Cadua, a mild, gentle-spirited, little old Turk, who would have made a very fine old English gentleman, but who was about as well fitted to be father-in-law to an Algerine Dey, and a man of position in the pirate city, as he was to be Prime Minister to the man in the moon.
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