Carmen hesitated, but Omar at once threw his bournous aside and offered the young lady his arm.
Laisangy whispered in Carmen's ear:
"Do not delay too long. I have received the signal and must do what was agreed upon between us."
Carmen paid little heed to these words, but moved through the crowd on Omar's arm, slowly and thoughtfully. Omar was very solemn, but under his moustache he whispered:
"I come from Monsieur Goutran."
"Who are you?" she asked, raising her fan to hide her lips as she spoke.
Whenever the crowd came too near he raised his arm, and with a grand sweep of bournous, hand and arm, he said:
"Allah il Allah! Rassoul il Allah!"
Everybody drew back much impressed, for the incomprehensible has always great power.