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Updated: May 4, 2025
From all these things Foster judged that this was one of the women's apartments, and wondered much that he had been admitted into such a jealously-guarded sanctuary, but relieved his mind by setting it down to that eccentricity for which Ben-Ahmed was noted. He had just arrived at this conclusion when a door opened, and Ben-Ahmed himself entered with the sketch of the coffee-house in his hand.
The explanation might lie in this, that Ben-Ahmed, being eccentric in this as in most other matters, afforded the inmates of his harem unusual liberty. Before he had time to think much on the subject, however, the lady in question turned into the arbour and stood before him.
"Well, I mean every commissioned officer in the army and navy," returned Foster, "and when such are taken prisoner I am aware that they are always allowed a certain amount of freedom of action on giving their word of honour that they will not attempt to escape." When this was explained to Ben-Ahmed, he again said a few words to the negro, who translated as before.
It so happened that our artist had run short of some of his drawing materials, and said that he could not get on well without them. "Go to the town, then, got a supply, and return quickly," said Ben-Ahmed, who was smoking his hookah in the court at the time and playing gently with the lost Hester's pet gazelle.
Foster could not help admitting that it was, as long as it lasted! "But what," he asked, "what security has Ben-Ahmed that you won't be as false to him as you recommend me to be?" "I lub massa too!" answered the negro, with a bland smile. "What! love a man whom you have described to me as the most obstinate fellow you ever knew?" "Ob course I do," returned Peter. "W'y not?
With a strong effort she controlled her feelings. "Well, then, Ben-Ahmed brought me here, and, introducing me to his wives he has four of them, only think! said he had brought home a little wife for his son Osman.
"Thank you, Ben-Ahmed," returned the middy; "but remember, if I never return, you will understand that I have not broken my word of honour." The Moor bowed his head in acquiescence, and took a long pull at his pipe as the midshipman went away.
"In what attitude do you wish to be painted?" asked the middy, as he moved the easel a little, and took a professional, head-on-one-side look at his subject. "In no attitude," returned the Moor gravely. "Pardon me," said Foster in surprise. "Did you not say that that " "I said that I wish you to finish the drawing by introducing a figure," returned Ben-Ahmed, taking a long draw at the hookah.
In one of these Foster introduced such a life-like portrait of Peter the Great that Ben-Ahmed was charmed, and immediately gave orders to have most of his slaves portrayed while engaged in their various occupations. In work of this kind many months were spent, for Foster was a painstaking worker. He finished all his paintings with minute care, having no capacity for off-hand or rapid sketching.
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