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Updated: August 24, 2024
They were slightly veiled; but, as Gervaise afterwards learnt, Ben Ibyn was not a Moor, but a Berber, a people who do not keep their women in close confinement as do the Moors, but allow them to go abroad freely without being entirely muffled up. "Khadja," the merchant said, "this is the Christian slave I purchased today.
I cannot thank you too much for all your past kindness, and shall ever bear a grateful remembrance of yourself and your family." "Perhaps it were better so," Ben Ibyn said; "for if the Moors can find any excuse for plundering us, they do so.
Gervaise afterwards learned that Ben Ibyn had been fined a heavy sum for his breach of the regulations. He was now placed between the soldiers, and marched down to the town, without being allowed to exchange a word with the merchant.
The camels having drunk their fill were given an ample allowance of corn from the saddle-bags, and were then picketed close at hand, while Yussuf prepared a meal for their masters. "What is the country like that we have to traverse?" Edgar asked. "By to-morrow night," Ben Ibyn said, "we shall have reached the mountains.
Gervaise had learnt from Muley that Ben Ibyn was one of the richest merchants in Tripoli, trading direct with Egypt, Syria, and Constantinople, besides carrying on a large trade with the Berber tribes in the interior. He returned to the house with his basket full of provisions, and having handed these over to the cook, he went to the private apartments, as Khadja had requested him to do.
The men, surprised at the question, glanced at Gervaise, who said, "Tell Ben Ibyn the truth; it will do neither you nor me any harm, and will be mentioned by him to no one else." Accordingly the story was told. Ben Ibyn listened gravely. "It was the will of Allah," he said, when it was concluded. "I have wronged you, Gervaise, but your tale seemed too marvellous to be true.
Our best plan will be to make for Massowah." "Well, sheik, you have heard that Ben Ibyn has agreed to deliver us at one of the ports for a handsome reward. He knows that Englishmen's words can be relied upon, and that there is no fear of his not getting the amount promised him. My brother and I agree to give you an equal sum to that which he will receive there."
"We do not belong to the Mahdi," Ben Ibyn said, "but are peaceful travellers. We desire only to fill our bags with grain for the animals, for which we will pay you the full value. For ourselves we need nothing, although, if you have peradventure a kid or a sheep left among you we will gladly purchase it."
"Master, it is I, the messenger whom you saw two hours since. Ben Ibyn bade me say that he thought you might require some service, and, knowing that I could be trusted, bade me wait for you here. He thought that you might possibly need a messenger to Hassan." "The very thing," Gervaise exclaimed.
He touched a bell on the table, and told Muley, when he appeared, to conduct Gervaise to the place where he was to sleep, which was, he had already ordered, apart from the quarters of the other slaves. "The young fellow is a mass of bruises," Ben Ibyn said to his wife, when the door closed behind Gervaise.
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