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"He has," replied the old man, taking the consul's proffered hand and pressing it warmly; "but he has done worse than that " "What! has he dared to " Sidi Cadua interrupted and answered the question by quietly removing the lower part of his robe, and exposing his feet, which were dreadfully swollen and scarred with the bastinado.
"And besides," added Omar, with a touch of sarcasm, "where are his papers to prove that what he says is true?" The consul had made his demand with unusual firmness and dignity, for the memory of poor Sidi Cadua was strong upon him, but this latter remark somewhat perplexed him. Fortunately, at the moment, de Lisle himself, who was present, started up and said in English, across the divan
The same feelings induced him to befriend Blindi Bobi, who was also a friend of the Padre. Poor Ashweesha, and her father, Sidi Cadua, perished under the rod and the bow-string; and Hadji Baba, the story-teller, continued to tell stories and to jest to the end of his days. How the Deys tolerated him has ever remained a matter of surprise to the thoughtful.
"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."
Sidi Cadua silently pointed to a ragged old burnous in a dark corner of the little cellar, under which a human form lay crouched up and motionless. "Not dead?" asked the consul anxiously. "No, not dead," replied the old man, with an upward glance of gratitude. "Sidi Cadua," exclaimed the consul, rising hastily, "excuse my leaving you now. I have to attend the divan. You shall hear from me soon.
Sidi Cadua conducted her to the seraglio, where she was heartily welcomed by the ladies, who expressed their delight at meeting her with girlish glee. Ashweesha laughingly said that she was glad to see Agnes had become a Mohammedan, on which Mrs Langley related what circumstances had caused the change, and the Sultana listened to the recital with tears of laughter running down her cheeks.
Recovering himself, Sidi Cadua slowly related the circumstances. An enemy, he said, had accused him to the Dey Omar of having hidden away a large amount of treasure, and he had been put to the torture in order to force him to disclose the truth; but the truth was that he had never concealed treasure, and had no confession to make.
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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