Cecile

Algiers is the Paris of África, or, rather, not a portion of África, but a part of France, that had been created by the armies in times of peace as it had been conquered in a war hf the French armies. Algiers is Paris, of course, but in be,coniing French it has not lost all its Oriental peeuliarities, and in this it is as ïL'uch more attraetive than Paris as romance is to real life. When I was ordered to remain in Algiers with ïny regiment coming froin Marseilles, I came with most delightful anticipa tions. I was a young lieutenant then, and my success with the fair sex in various garrison towns where I had been, gave me most brilliant ideas in regard to the adventures that would befall me in Algiers. Houris, with eyes like stars, enveloped in cashmere, covered with diamonds, living in palaces with fountains of rose-water, and bowers of orange fiowers, roses before mp, Indeed, the otiicers talked so much and so eagerly, about the charms of the Eastern women, their passion and their devotion, that I feit ready to risk ray life to obtain a sight of one of the lovely creatures who hauuted my dreams. ÏS'ow this was to be the romance of my life. The reality was alrcady all arranged and settled in liurope - and to teil ttfe truth, though my imagination was in Algiers, my heart was in France with the girl to whom 1 had been betrothed since my infancy. Like all Frenchmen, I knew that I could marry only the young lady who would be thought by my parents to be suited to me in station and fortune ; I knew that only such a wifo could snit me, and had not the slightest idea that my Kastern romance would interfere wmi any of my engagements, not even with my love. For I loved my betrothed, though I had not seen her since she was a child. The daughter of an old f'riend of my father, she had boen brought up by her mother iu the strictost seolusion, and in iny wandering soldier's life, I had not seen her for six years. But this was my last ycar's probation ; at the close of the autumn T was to return to Marseilles ; Cecile was to come with her mother beneath ruy father'8 roof, and we were to be married. The passion I intended to feel for one of the Oriental houris had nothing to do with the holy love for my future wife - for the future mfther of my children. She was encased in the holiest temple of my heart - the very altar fire of my life ; the Oriental episodes were but as the lightning flashes of a sum mer storm, brief, brilliant and evanescent. It so happened that at one of the cafes I made the acquaintance of an intelligent, rich, old Jew merchant, who, from the first, appeared to take extraordinary interest in me. He amused me with the detail of Oriental life and manners ; told me the legends of the country ; and, in fact, seemed to be a living page from the "Arabian Knights." In return, I told him all the circuinstances of my life, all my military adventures, and even, in a moment of extraordinary confidence, went so far as to teil him all about Cecile and our future marriage. This was done rather to give him an idea of onr European oustoms than with any idea of confiding in him. I scarcely feit the indelicacy of talking about Cecile, because he was so utterly a stranger to her. I had been some weeks in Algiers watching anxiously for an adventure, when one day a note was put into my hand. It was highly perfumed, and tied, instead of being sealed, with a gold thread. It was written in a most elegant hand, and was in the purest French, and it bade me repair at nine o'clock to one of the mosques, where a most important revelation would be made to me. Here was an adventure at last. In the excitement of the moment I rushed to the Jew. " What am I to do ? What does this mean C " " It means that you are a handsome dog and that some of our lovely woman have fallen in love with you." " What am I to do 'i " " Go to the rendezvous of course ? " " Will there be dapger? Must I go armed ? " " It would be more prudent." At nine o'clock, as the clock struck, some one touched me on tb e shoulder. "You are exact - that is well," and as I turned I beheld an old woman, dressed in the costurae of the country, standing near me. " Are you Lieutenant llaoul Duchene !" said she, speaking in French, and with only a slight accent. " Yes." " You are lately from Marseilles 'i " Yes." " You remoraber Cecile V" " Cecile," I cned - " Cecile Velazo 't " " 'Tis she who has written to you." "Cecile, my betrothed; she is in Bordoaux, with her mother." " She was, but she is now here, a slave in Algiers." " 13ut the letter is not ín her writing." "Not as you knew her writing formeriy" "True, a slave - Cecile a slave ? How did she kuow that I was here ? " " She saw you froni behind the grating of her window." " Take me to her enclosure." "Notuntil you have given me your word that you will save her." ' At the risk of rny life : but how, in HeavHn's name did shp get herei'" " She wil] teil yon all to-uiorrow, when you meet.' " Let uie see her to-night." " Impossibie." " To-morrow, then. I shall not rest till then." " To-morrow ; but reinembur, silence - an indisoretion might ruin all ■ " I wiis obliged to be satisfied, but my pxciti'ment was so great that I could not restrain it. I conflded all to niy frieud the Jew. "Be vcry prudent," said the Jew, "and reraember that the Prench Government allows the natives the exercise of their religión and the freedom of their own special trados. To interfere between a merchnnt and his slavo would be dangerous." I listened, of course, to no arguments, and at nino o'olock the next night wns at the place the Arab woman had indicated. Cecile, my Cecile, the pure and gentle young girl, in the power of x Mahomedan, it was horrible. ' Follow me," said the old woman, and we entered a low gate, and after various windings found ourselves in a whit mar ble hall, most brilliantly illuminated. " Here is the danger. Once we can get through hero into Ceuilc's apartment we are safe." We crossed the hall without ïuipediraent. We entered the apartinent, which seemed dim to me after tho hall; but bright, indeed, all appeared, when, trom an inner room a lady advaneed. She wore the eostume of the country, and the heavy silver veil with which the j woiuen are concealed in Algiers feil over her. Iu another instant she raised hor veil, and 1 beheld the loveliost croature I had ever saen in niy life - her large, brilliant, yet melting eyes, fixod on me. I threw tnyself at her feet. " Do I theu see you again f" " ïtaoul," she replied, in a low, soft voico. "have you forgotten me 'i Do you nok love me still 't " " Love you still ! Never have you been out of my thoughts ; but how are you here ? Here and a slave ! How did you leave your happy home 't How did you come in this inan's power?" " Listen to me, Raoul, and you wül see how naturally I feil into the toils. Th ree years ago, a yonng Arab was sent to Bordeaux to complete his eduoation. He fell in love with me. A marriage between us was, of course, impossiblo, even had I not been betrothed to yon. Hassan understood this, and seemed to have abandomed ill feelings oí' love he had entertaiued for me. A month since he announoed to to us his departure for his native country, and as a last proof of his frienduhip, asked my mother to honor hirn witli a visit on board the vessel that was to take him trom us - a condescension he called it. My mother consented. We went, accompanied only by Hassan, wbo carne to fetch us. It was easy to separate us, both curious as we were to see the various parts of the ship. When at last I tried to joia my mother, she was gone. What becaine of her I cannot tell you. All I know is that the vessel sailed, when I fell in a swoon at the í'eet ot' Hassan. When I recovered, lie told me that he had deterniined that I should be his ; lio lia rl gaerifioed everything to obtain me. So I am here, and Providence has sent you to my assistance." " This very night we will fly." "That cannot be. I should be missed, traced, and again eapturod. No, iíaoul, you must take me henee to a Fronch vessel ready to sa.il that very night." " But I cannot go with you. I daré not leave Algiers without leave of absence." " l can reaen Marseules ín saiety. There I can await you. Only get mu yond the power of these people." " I swore to tree her - to obey her ; sho was ao beautiful, so tender, so sad, that I would have dared anything for her deliverance. Éaoh night, introduced by the Arab woinan, I caiae to hor. She was more lovely even than I had ever dreamed. She had grown into a different being from the one I had cherished in my heart, often, in our short interviews, did 1 refer to our early days, but the rernembraneo seemed too sad for her to hear the ñames of those we loved, her family - mine, all brought tears to her eyes. There was un iueffable joy to me in these interviews, stolen and dangerous as they were, and but of a few minutes, duration ; still I burned to free her from the power of this Hassan, even at the pain of not seeing her. I would have tried the Frenoh authorities, but what had I to prove the truth of my story, or the identity of Cecile '( Then the French authorities are chary of intorference with the native custoins ; in fact, Cecile said our oiily safety lay in her secret Hight. Has'iin was away. Once Cecile had been in bis power ; he made no efïbrt to force her lova ; he trusted to time, to absence from all othor ties, and to his devotion, to ultimately obtain her love. At the thought of this, my hoart beat with rage and terror. I resolved to delay no longer. Vessels were sailing every day to France, but I wanted not a vessel full of passengers, but some small roerchant vessel, where none would know even of Cecile's presence. At last it was found, and all was arranged. A European dress was procured, and conveyed to Cecile. In these, one night, without any interruption, sho passed out of Hassan's palace the way I entered it. We were in the street ; I dared bring no conveyanee. We had to walk with rapid steps down to the qua3r. ün we rushed, when suddenly a man darts from one of the dark pórticos, and stands before us. " You are pursued ' " said hu, " her flight is discovered. Trust her to me; here is my house, I can shield her. No one will suspect me. You can save her thus, and only thus save yourself the disgrace which, as an officer, will fall on you. "Disgrao:!" ctied Cecile, starting from me ; " take me, lead me any where. Raoul, rly." " With me she is safe; come to-morrow; she will be ready." "But she will miss the vessel ; it sails to-morrow." " There will be another, then ; but I hear footsteps ; tiy." The Jew and Cecile disappeared into one of the houses, and I, bewildered and deeply mortified, went slowly to my quarteis. The next day there was a great rumor in the town - the French authorities had been appealed to - a most daring robbery had been conimitted ; one of the favorito slavcs of the dcthroned Dey had escaped from his palace with jewels of enormous value. She was a Ëuropean too - some dancing girl he had picked up from tho French theater in Algiers; she had sailed for France, it was supposed, but where und how, and who had been her accomplice, it was impossible to discover. I hoard this with indifference ; and, as soon as I deemed it safe, proceeded, back with anxiety, to the Jew's house. I reached it, and on the threshold stood the Arab woinun. " Cecile," said I. She presentad me with a note without apealnng a word I tore it open. " I am safe ; you will not betray me, for if you dol will swear that you are my accoinplice. I have long been waiting tliis opportunity, and I thank you for helpintf me and tho Dey's jewels off together. I am mere) y the Dey's slave - l'arisian with only her beauty and rits. Now I aui rich, and will pray for you, my gallant and credulous cavalier. You should not have connVed your secrets to the Jew. He is with me, and we will not forget you. ' Carmen." I stood as if turned to stone. I eould not collect my thoughts Cecile an imposter F 2STo, not Cecile at at all ; and I the dupe and aceoinplice of this bold, bad woinan. My first impulse was to denounce her at all risks- to teil the truth. But the fear of ridicule or the dread of disgrace at last restrained me, and made me con sent to endure the terrible complicity. Carmen was nover found, nor wore the jewels traced. Probably she had sailed from Frunce for America, and so evadod the policn. As for Cecile, six months later I found her by her mother, purd, fresh, and innocent ; and not until we had been married two years did I relato my adventure in Algiers.