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Updated: June 13, 2025
"Not so loud, not so loud," said M. Le Mesge. "No one speaks out loud here." "The Major Russell," I repeated, obeying his injunction as if in spite of myself, "who left Khartoum last year, to explore Sokoto?" "The same," replied the Professor. "And ... where is Major Russell?" "He is there," replied M. Le Mesge. The Professor made a gesture. The Tuareg approached.
He collected the papers which Morhange had dropped in his amazement, counted them, arranged them; then, casting a peevish glance at us, he struck a copper gong. The portiére was raised again. A huge white Targa entered. I seemed to recognize him as one of the genii of the cave. While the nobles are clad in blue cotton robes, the serfs wear white robes, hence their name of "white Tuareg."
"At Mabille, while Clémentine, Hortense, Anna, Ludovic and the three Tuareg gave themselves over to the wildest gallops, Sheik Otham took me aside and confided to me, with visible emotion, a certain commission with which he had just been charged by his brother, Sheik Ahmed. "The next day, very early, I reached Clémentine's house.
"The idea! With me, sir? It is with the Tuareg that he plays. He teaches them every game imaginable. There, that is he who is striking the gong to hurry us up. It is half past nine, and the Salle de Trente et Quarante opens at ten o'clock. Let us hurry. I suppose that anyway you will not be averse to a little refreshment." "Indeed we shall not refuse," Morhange replied.
The stem of the octagonal tiled fountain was of time-worn, creamy marble; the white house was draped with cascades of wistaria, and pale pink bougainvillea; underneath the shadow of the overhanging balcony ran wall-seats covered and backed with charming old tiles of blue and white "ribbon" design; on them were spread white woollen, black-striped rugs delicately woven by Kabyle women; Tuareg cushions of stamped leather, and pillows of brilliant purple and gold brocade silk.
I watched the curve of her beautiful throat. "My deal," said Koukou. We were thus arranged: at the left, the Hetman, Aguida, whose waist he had encircled with the most aristocratic freedom, Cacambo, a Tuareg woman, then two veiled Negroes who were watching the game intently.
Then came the cry of men, then of women, the kind of cry that you can never forget if you have once heard it. When the sun rose, it found me, quite naked, running and stumbling towards the north with my little companions, beside the swiftly moving camels of the Tuareg who escorted us. Behind, followed the women of the tribe, my mother among them, two by two, the yoke upon their necks.
"Near the wells of Asiou, the Moors were attacked by a party of Tuareg of Kel-Tazeholet, serfs of the great tribe of Kel-Rhelâ, which rules over Ahaggar. They, in their turn, were massacred to the last man. That is how I was brought here, and offered as homage to Antinea, who was pleased with me and ever since has been kind to me.
One realized the restraint which nearness to a great presence imposed upon the exasperated guards. The stakes and the dice-boxes had rolled in one direction, the copper cups, in the other. Two of the Tuareg, doubled up with pain, were rubbing their ribs with low oaths. I need not say that I profited by this silent confusion to glide into the room.
"It was Ceghéir-ben-Cheikh," repeated the Targa with imperturbable calm. "Captain Masson and Colonel Flatters had left the convoy to look for the well," said Morhange, laughing. "It was then that the Tuareg attacked them," I finished, laughing as hard as I could. "A Targa of Ahagga seized the bridle of Captain Masson's horse," said Morhange.
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