The Veiled Man Page 3

said, slowly, raising her beautifuleyes to mine. "About two moons ago, attired in the _haick_ of an Arabwoman, I journeyed with my aged uncle to In Salah, in order to makepurchases in the market, as is our custom twice each year. On ourreturn hither we came across an encampment of those red-legged dogs ofFrench, and having accepted the hospitality of their tents throughseveral days on account of the sand-storms, I was surprised and annoyedby receiving a declaration of love from the young lieutenant in charge,whose name was Victor Gaillard, and whose home, he told me, was inParis. Believing me to be daughter of an Arab merchant, he announcedhis readiness to take me to Algiers and make me his wife; but hatingthese youthful irresponsible masters of our land, I declined thathonour. He then declared that at all costs I should be his, for at theend of the year he was going north to the seashore, where he would bequartered until the spring, and that if I escaped him he and his hostwho ruled the Desert would treat me and my people as rebellious, andshoot us down like dogs. I laughed his declaration to scorn, for helittle dreamed of my real name, birth, and dwelling-place. Next day Iremained in the encampment, but on the following night, by bribing oneof the Spahi sentries with a ring from my finger, I and my uncle managedto escape, and, beneath the crescent moon, pushed our way forward in thedirection of Saba. Through four days we travelled almost incessantly,until at midnight on the fifth our camels' feet sank deep into thequicksands that render the entrance to Saba unapproachable. Laughing asI congratulated myself on my cleverness at outwitting him, I had gonesome hundred paces when, chancing to glance back, I saw not far away,hesitating at the edge of the treacherous belt of ground, a singlehorseman. The glint of moonlight on his bright scabbard showed him tobe an officer of the Roumis, and instantly I recognised the slimsilhouette of Victor Gaillard. He sat motionless in his saddle, andwith his field-glass raised calmly watched our difficult progresstowards the two colossal statues which have guarded the entrance to ourcity from the day of King Solomon. My uncle, noticing my alarm, alsoturned and detected our pursuer. That night, before my family assembledin the palace, I explained the whole of the facts, and they, knowing howrelentless are these harsh infidel rulers of ours, unanimously decidedupon flight. But I declined to leave. Was I not Balkis, Queen of Saba?Was not the great store of gold and jewels given into my keeping that Ishould remain and watch them until I drew my last breath? They urged meto accompany them into the mountains, but finding me obdurate all fled,leaving me alone to face the unscrupulous man who had declared that atall costs I should become his wife. Ten weary anxious days have sincegone by. Yesterday thou earnest hither, thy face wrapped in thy black_litham_, and naturally I supposed thou wert the accursed infidel indisguise. I watched thee explore my palace and enter to the cavewherein my treasure lieth concealed. When thou hadst entered I breathedmore freely, full well knowing that thou hadst gone forward into thygrave."

  "How? Is the tunnel azotic?"

  "No. Within is an ingenious mechanical contrivance which wasconstructed by Balkis herself, whereby the unsuspecting intruderreleases a spring, and is struck down by a great iron mace."

  "I was struck," I observed.

  She nodded, smiling sadly.

  "When I went forward to ascertain whether mine enemy still lived I foundthy veil unloosened, and that thy features were not those of the hatefulFrank. Then I tended thee throughout the night, and at dawn thou didstrally and art now rapidly recovering."

  "Of a verity I had a narrow escape."

  "Assuredly thou didst. Many others, as adventurous and stout-hearted asthyself, have met their fate at that spot."

  "So thou hast remained here alone and single-handed to guard thetreasure of thine ancestor against the pilfering of the Franks?" Isaid, regarding the beautiful, frail-looking girl with admiration."Assuredly thou art as courageous as the great Balkis who defied thecombined powers of the ancient world."

  She sighed. "It hath been the duty of the Queens of Saba to remainwithin their kingdom even if evil threatened and all forsake them. Iwill never be wife of a Frank, neither will I exhibit fear to these newrulers of the Desert who are led by amorous youths from Parisboulevards," she answered, drawing herself up with queenly hauteur.

  "Peradventure he only useth idle threats," I observed.

  "No. The Franks who conquered Algeria and hold it beneath the thraldomof the religion they call Christianity, are our rulers also. He orderedme to remain in the encampment on pain of being outlawed. I disobeyed;therefore I and my people are rebels. That he will return and seek meout I am convinced."

  "Then why not fly?" I suggested. "I will take thee to where my tribe,are encamped. Although we are thieves and brigands, thou, a woman, wiltnevertheless meet with chivalrous treatment at our hands."

  She shook her head, and with dogged persistence announced her intentionof remaining, while, on my part, I promised to render her whateverassistance lay in my power.

  "Then first help me to remove the throne into the treasure-house," shesaid, and opening a door that had been concealed behind the heavyhangings she led me into the great hall where water flowed beneath itspavement of glass.

  Together we dragged the bejewelled seat of royalty through severalcourts, until we came to the small pavilion which gave entrance to thecavern. Then, while she carried a flaming flambeau, I toiled on with itafter her. When we had gone some distance into the heart of themountain she stooped to secure the ancient mechanism so that the ironmace could not again descend, and advancing some further distance wefound ourselves in a kind of _cul-de-sac_, with only a black wall ofrock before us. To the right, however, was a cunningly-concealed doorwhich gave entrance to a spacious natural chamber, wherein I saw, heapedindiscriminately, the most wondrous collection of golden ornaments andbrilliant jewels my eyes had ever gazed upon. Some of them I took up,holding them in my hand in wonderment. The gems were of the firstwater, the spoils taken in battle by the notorious queen once feared byall the world, while heaped everywhere were bejewelled breast-plates,gem-encrusted goblets, golden dishes, and swords with hilts andscabbards thickly set with precious stones. Wheresoever I trod therewere scattered in the fine white dust strings of pearls, uncut gems,rings, and ear-ornaments, while all around were piled great immovableboxes of hewn stone, like coffins, securely clamped with rusting iron.These had never been opened, and contained, according to the story of mycompanion, the tribute of enormous worth sent by King Solomon to Balkis.These I examined carefully, one after another, at length discoveringone, the stone of which had split so that a small aperture was formed.I placed my hand inside and withdrew it, holding between my thumb andfinger three cut diamonds, the like of which I had never before beheld.The stone box was filled to the brim with gems of every kind.

  In wonderment I was standing, contemplating this vast wealth of avanished nation, when my fair conductress exclaimed--

  "There is still one other marvel about this place. Listen! Canst thouhear a sound?"

  Distinctly I heard a dull, monotonous boom, which had continueduninterruptedly ever since we had been there.

  "Yea. What is its cause?" I asked.

  "The interior of this mountain is as a fiery furnace. That roaring isthe unquenchable flame that has burned therein through ages. Duringmine own remembrance as a child smoke hath issued from the cone above,and so near are we to the fiery interior here in this treasure-housethat its very walls are warm."

  Upon the rock I placed my hand, and so hot was it that I was compelledto withdraw it instantly. Only a thin partition of stone apparentlydivided us from the mysterious fathomless crater.

  "One of the beliefs that have come down unto me through ages," Balkissaid, "is that within this place is Al-Hawiyat, the dwelling preparedfor infidels and pagans, where their food shall be offal, and they shallslake their thirst with boiling pitch."

  "Allah is mighty and wise," I answered. "Alone he knoweth the hearts ofhis servants. May perfect peace remain ever upon thee."

  "And upon thee, O Ahamadou," she respon
ded, raising her bright eyesearnestly to mine. "Now that I have shown thee this, the wealth of myancestors, thou wilt promise never to conspire to gain possession of itwhile any of my family remain here in Saba."

  "Although of a tribe of thieves, I swear by Allah's might that neverwill I expose thy secret, nor will I seek to possess myself of what isthine," I answered. "Thy family shall ever be as mine, for I am noabuser of the salt."

  "In thee do I place my trust," she answered, allowing her soft hand, thehand that had so deftly bandaged my injured brow and bathed my face--tolinger for an instant within my grasp.

  Then, drawing from my pouch the great lustrous ruby I had stolen, Ihanded it back to her. But she made me retain it as _souvenir_ of myvisit to Saba, the city forgotten.

  The atmosphere in