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Updated: June 4, 2025
"That is not Oreïda," I said to Safti, smiling at his absurd mistake. For this was the oldest and ugliest dancer of them all. "Indeed, Sidi, it is. Ask the Caïd." I asked that enormous potentate, who was devouring the withered lady with his eyes. He wagged his head in assent. Just then the dancer paused before us, and thrusting forward her greasy forehead, enveloped us with a sphinx-like smirk.
'Remember what the aumônier told us! "Marnier looked at me. I thought there was something apprehensive in his eyes. But he said nothing, and we turned in. "The next day I rode out with Safti into the desert to visit a sacred personage of great note in the Sahara, Sidi El Ahmed Ben Daoud Abderahmann. To my relief Marnier declined to come. He said he was tired, and would stroll about the city.
She went to bed that night in a bad humour, and again complained of drains the next morning. This time the Princess did not heed her, for she was thinking of the hour when she must return the emerald to Safti. "What an ugly ring that is," said the old Countess. "Where did you get it? It is too small. Why do you wear it?" "I I bought it in the bazaars," answered the Princess.
I am an unbelieving dog of a traveller, and I come there in winter, and Safti comes there for me. I, in fact, am Safti's profession. Byrne, and others like me, he lives.
She spoke almost with violence, laying her hand upon his arm. Safti seemed to stare hard into the corners of the little room. Perhaps he was really looking at the Princess. At length he said: "It is true." "I will give any price you ask for it," said the Princess. "You!" said Safti. "But you "
A fierce excitement shone in her pretty eyes, and her little hands were trembling as she looked down at the dull emerald of Safti. At eleven o'clock that night the Princess and the Countess got into a carriage, drove to the edge of the huge salt lake by which Tunis lies and went on board the Stella d'Italia. The sky was starless. The winds were still, and it was very dark.
"As I spoke a handsome Arab, splendidly dressed in a pale blue robe, red gaiters and boots, and a turban of fine muslin, spangled with gold, passed us slowly, going towards the dancing-house. He cast a glance full of suspicion and malice at Marnier. "'What's up with that fellow? I said, startled. "The Arab went on, and at that moment the faithful Safti joined us.
Since she had worn the ugly ring of Safti she had suffered no pain from her eyes, and a strange certainty had gradually come upon her that, while the emerald was in her possession, she would be safe from the terrible disease of which she had so long lived in terror. Yet Safti would not let her have the ring. And she could not live for ever in Tunis.
From Russia she would compensate Safti for his loss. The lights of Tunis grew fainter. She thought of the open sea. But suddenly she felt that the ship was slowing down. The engines beat more feebly, then ceased to beat. The ship glided on for a moment in silence, and stopped. A cold fear ran over the Princess. She called to a sailor. "Why," she said, "why do we stop? Is anything wrong?"
All this I knew from the sound of Smain's flute. I told it to Safti, and bade him ask Smaïn if it were not true. Smain's reply was: "She is more beautiful than that; she is like the young gazelle, and like the first day after the fast of Ramadan."
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