The Circe of the deserts

by Paule Henry-Bordeaux

It was a pleasant thing to be one of his friends....

Mr. Catafago acted as interpreter. The conversation was the most cordial imaginable, and lasted until one o'clock in the morning. Lady Hester and Malem Hazm retired delighted with each other, and this good impression continued always. The Jew extolled the kindness of Soliman and inhaled, like fresh water, the great peace which enveloped St. Jean d'Acre.

Lady Hester went to visit Soliman. The reception was magnificent; the compliments in the best taste. On her return to Mr. Catafago's house, a grey horse, the gift of the pacha, was awaiting the visitor.

She liked also to saunter in the fortifications of the town. Of the three lines of ramparts which encircled it on the land side, the last was the work of Djezzar. Everything contributed to recall the memory of the sanguinary pacha. After the siege of St. Jean d'Acre by the French, understanding that he was indebted for safety to the aid of Sir Sydney Smith, he determined to become strong enough to defend himself and to be able to dispense with Allies, who are always an impediment. To realise his plan, which was formidable, years and hundreds of workmen enrolled by force were necessary. During those torrid afternoons on which the hapless wretches toiled under a leaden sky, Djezzar used to appear on the scene. Immediately, as if by enchantment, the tired stood erect, the movements of shovel and mattock became quicker, the picks buried themselves in the ground at shorter intervals. It seemed to all the workers that an immense jingle of bones filled the yard; the sight of the pacha conjured up chaplets of ears, necklaces of eyes, pyramids of heads. And if he uplifted his raucous and thundering voice, the most weary, the most worn out, became the most active, the most strong. Thus St. Jean d'Acre became a redoubtable fortress.

Through one of the embrasures, which made a sombre frame, Lady Hester perceived the sea of a royal blue colour, over which slender vessels skimmed. This sight recalled to her Sir Sidney Smith. The Commodore was not extraordinary, after all. Uncle Pitt had found him vain and puffed up with pride. Had he not pestered him for more than two hours with a box stuffed with papers, at a time when the Minister had so many things to do? Lady Hester was very near thinking that all heroes are thus, apart naturally from General Moore.... Forgetful of the charming compliments with which Sir Sydney Smith had bestowed on her on her entry into Society. "The roses and the lilies mingle on your face," said he at that time, "and the inexpressible charms of your attitude spread happiness around you." One could not be more gallant. But do not women remember particularly what has been said to them? Lady Hester considered it as the proof that one can be brave and a wretched politician. That happens, and even more often than one thinks.

Soon Mr. Catafago took Lady Hester to pass some time at Nazareth. The little town, twin sister of the towns of Umbria or Tuscany, dispersed in terraces its bright-coloured houses on the slope where cyprus-trees perched. And the Eastern sky possessed Italian charms.

Bruce brought back from an excursion to Tiberias a fantastic Arab. He was no one less than the celebrated Burckhardt, Sheik Ibraham as he had himself called. Tall, strong, shaped like a Hercules, with a broad German face, prominent eyes, badly placed teeth and an air of assurance, he displeased Lady Hester. He quitted Syria definitely for Egypt, after having travelled for two years over the unexplored regions of Lebanon, Anti-Lebanon and Hauran. None of Lady Hester's companions knew at that time that he was travelling on account of the Geographical Society.

In July, Lady Hester returned to St. Jean d'Acre to organise the departure. The caravan passed the gates of the town at sunset. The noise and the confusion were frightful. The majority of the Christian servants had never ridden on horseback; and the horses, accustomed by their Arab masters to rear, dance, neigh and play a thousand tricks on leaving the villages, added to the confusion. Shouts from the drivers, yells of fright from the servants.... Mrs. Fry, the English lady's-maid, worried and ill at ease in her masculine habiliments, persisted in wishing to ride as an Amazon, at a time when all women in the East rode astride. The camels became entangled in their leading-reins and threw the line into disorder when it was scarcely reestablished.

With time and blows, all was settled. The doctor and the janissary Hadji Ali took the head of the march. In the darkness, beasts and men wandered from the torrent-bed which served as a track. Suddenly, noises and tumults in the rear; the camel carrying the medicine-case had just fallen into a ravine. He was got out again unhurt; but the doctor did not dare to open the box. Poor medicine-case, collected with great difficulty in Egypt to replace that lost off Rhodes, it had truly no chance!

The route seemed sometimes an alley in an English park, well sanded, bordered by green Aleppo pine-trees, alternating automatically with thickets of cactus, crested with roses and yellows, sometimes a path of rocks fit to break the bones. Ruins ended by being engulfed on the seashore. The road climbed interminably. From a rocky point they saw in the far distance Tyre like a little fishing barque stranded on the beach.