CHAPTER XXIV.

As soon as M. de Morin had disappeared in a cloud of dust, Ali, in obedience to the orders he had received, took the road back to Djiddah. The Bedouin, after a moment's hesitation, took the same route. His material interests outweighed his prudence. He rendered himself liable, it is true, to be roughly handled by the Turkish authorities on his return to the town; for, if the European had powerful friends in Djiddah, they would make him responsible for the abduction carried out under his eyes by his companions. But, on the other hand, if he disappeared and concealed himself in the desert, how could the purloiner of his horse either restore the animal or pay him its value? And such a steed as his was worthy of considerable risk.

Having come to this conclusion, he thought it better to overtake Ali and enter into conversation with him, seeing that a little preliminary information on the score of M. de Morin might be useful.

The interpreter, with that shrewdness peculiar to the Arabs generally, and developed especially in the case of those who, like Ali, are in constant communication with strangers, was equally quick in recognizing that he was bound to magnify to the utmost his master's importance, and to employ all his tact and skill in an endeavour to secure the assistance and co-operation of the Bedouin. For, if the latter perceived that such a line of conduct would conduce to his own interests, he would certainly not hesitate to institute such a search after M. de Morin and Joseph as would be sure to result in success. A genuine Arab would invariably refuse to come to the assistance of any European, if his doing so involved his pursuing or fighting against his co-religionists and his friends. But the Bedouin is not an Arab, though very often one is confounded with the other. The Arab is sedentary; he has his family, his clan, his tribe, his domestic hearth, his cattle, and very frequently his land. For their protection, or for the advantages to be derived from it, he appreciates the benefits of a partial civilization, relative to his wants, and he seeks after it. The Bedouin, on the contrary, is a Nomad; his horizon is bounded by the desert or the mountain; his property is limited to his weapons, his horse, or his camel; he lives by pillage alone, and his ideas of religion and morality are of the vaguest possible description. A story is told of a Bedouin, convicted of murder and theft, having been asked by a Frenchman—"What would you say to God, if you were summoned to appear before Him?" The reply was—"I should not say anything. I should merely greet Him. If He were good-natured and gave me food and tobacco, I should stay with Him; if not, I should mount my horse and ride away." This answer proves conclusively that, to the majority of these people, God is only an earthly king, somewhat more powerful than the rest, and living in a remote desert. The Bedouins formerly were shepherds, who formed, as it were, numerous colonies around the sedentary population, but, little by little, their wandering life has deteriorated their character and brought them down in the social scale. They must not be confounded with the original type of the Arab race; they have the same genealogical tree, but they are only the decayed branches of a tree still green and flourishing.

Knowing all this, and having long been conversant with the Bedouin character, Ali, when questioned by the steedless cavalier, was most particular in informing him that M. de Morin and his friends were very great personages, under the protection of the Turkish Government, rich enough to repay with generosity any services rendered to them, and powerful enough to punish all attempts at desertion or treason.

Whilst thus endeavouring to enlist an ally, the interpreter reached the walls of Djiddah. He rapidly made his way down the street, which runs along the whole length of the town, gained the quay, got into a boat, and went on board the steamer, which already had its steam up, and only awaited M. de Morin and Joseph to weigh anchor.

In a very few words, Ali made Madame de Guéran, Miss Poles, and their two companions masters of the situation. Their dismay and anguish at first prevented their saying a word; but afterwards they had but one thought, but one resolve—to fly to the rescue of their friend, as he had to the succour of his servant. But how were they to set about it?

Were they, ignorant of the country, of its tracks and its customs, blindly to rush into a new venture? Would it not be wiser to reflect a little? Might they not, by over-precipitation, jeopardize the lives of those they wished to save? They were bound to act with circumspection and with a reasonable hope of success. With one common impulse they determined to betake themselves to the French Consul and demand his aid.

The Consul received them at once, and listened to what they had to say with the greatest kindness, but he, at the same time, regretfully declared that he could not officially lend them any practical assistance.

"From a restraining point of view alone," said he, "we have a certain influence. If your friend perishes I will inform my Government of the circumstance. It will demand reparation, the punishment of the guilty persons, if they can be found, which is very doubtful, and an indemnity which, after much correspondence, the Turkish Government will exact from the town of Djiddah. But of what advantage will that be to you? You want to rescue M. de Morin safe and sound. And to gain that end, of what means can you make use, in a country where the Turkish authority is very frequently set at nought? The district of El-Hejaz, where we now are, has been infested for the last thirty years by bands of the Harbs tribe, who sack whole caravans, and the Turks have not yet succeeded in ridding themselves of these robbers and assassins. But if I am obliged to say 'no,' in my capacity as Consul, I am entirely at your disposal as a fellow-countryman and I make common cause with you. And now listen to the advice I am about to give you for the future."

Madame de Guéran, Miss Poles, M. Delange, and M. Périères drew nearer to the Consul, and fixed all their attention on him.

"First of all," commenced the representative of France at Djiddah, "start on this principle—do not rely upon any one but yourselves. You alone, gentlemen, can organize and direct the undertaking, for these ladies will have the goodness to take refuge in my house at the Consulate, under the safeguard of the French flag, and not mix themselves up in any active manner with this affair. You are no longer in Europe, where a woman can do as she pleases, but in the East, where her _rôle_ is, at all events in appearance, a passive one."

Miss Poles made a very significant grimace, and the inaction thus imposed upon her was evidently distasteful. As for the Baroness, she appreciated the justice of the Consul's remarks too well to enter any protest against them.

"Those premises settled, you, gentlemen, will return to your steamer and select three resolute sailors. Amongst the ship's company, and especially amongst the engineers, you will easily find some Europeans. Do not trouble yourself to ascertain whether they are accustomed to horses; in this country everybody rides, more or less. In default of Europeans, take Egyptians; Egypt has no love for Turkey. Add to these three men your two interpreters, because, as they were recommended to you by my _confrère_ at Cairo, you can count upon them. Besides, I know them by name; they have frequently accompanied travellers in these parts, and are to be trusted. You will, therefore, counting yourselves, muster seven. Have you arms for all?"

"Certainly," said M. Périères, "on that score there will be nothing wanting. In order to be able to arm our African escorts we provided ourselves with a complete collection of revolvers and carefully-selected rifles."

"So far, so good. The question now is—what route are you to choose? That is an essential point. However, do not exaggerate your difficulties. These Bedouins would not take the Medina road with their prize, as, relatively speaking, it is too much frequented to please them. They would run the risk of being surprised by some other Nomad band with whom they are always either in competition or at enmity, and who might carry off their prisoner. According to my idea, they have bent their steps towards the mountains where, in case of pursuit, they can find a secure retreat. You must overtake them before they arrive there. Do not lose any time. Hasten to your vessel, collect your men, arm them, arm yourselves, and come back here. I will undertake to provide you with horses. I have my own, my friends will lend me theirs, and you will soon know that the race of horses of El-Hejaz is one of the most valuable and renowned breeds in the world."

MM. Périères and Delange took leave of the Consul, followed out his instructions to the letter, and, an hour afterwards, they were on horseback with their escort, and had set out at full gallop.

The French flag was flying over the Consulate, for the representative of France at Djiddah wished the inhabitants to be informed of what had occurred, and wished, too, to let them know that the French manage their own affairs by themselves, without calling on any one for support or protection.