to the Prophet.

Left alone, Sidi Tart'ri and his faithful spouse by the broomstick
wedding would finish the evening on their terrace, a broad white
roof which overlooked the city.

All around them a thousand of other such white flats, placid
beneath the moonshine, were descending like steps to the sea. The
breeze carried up tinkling of guitars.

Suddenly, like a shower of firework stars, a full, clear melody
would be softly sprinkled out from the sky, and on the minaret of
the neighbouring mosque a handsome muezzin would appear, his
blanched form outlined on the deep blue of the night, as he chanted
the glory of Allah with a marvellous voice, which filled the horizon.

Thereupon Baya would let go her guitar, and with her large eyes
turned towards the crier, seem to imbibe the prayer deliciously. As
long as the chant endured she would remain thrilled there in
ecstasy, like an Oriental saint. The deeply impressed Tartarin
would watch her pray, and conclude that it must be a splendid and
powerful creed that could cause such frenzies of faith.

Tarascon, veil thy face! here is a son of thine on the point of
becoming a renegade!



XII.
The Latest Intelligence from Tarascon.