The Tragedy Of An Egyptian Wife

Ëifaat Boy, who left Cairo last night (January 1) in charge of a Circassian guard, is more fortúnate tlian Malimoud Sami Baroudi; his vvife, although a lady of rank, and supposed to have been snbjected to "presure" in high quartors to induce hor to remain in Cairo, persisted valiantly in her resolution to accompany her ïmsbaud into exile. Tlie prefect of pólice, it is said, was sent to Mme. Rifaat to urge niany reasons why ffie should not forsako her nativo land. Was .she aware Rifaat Bcy's destination was Malta? It was a Christóan country; attempts would be made to destroy her faith, to compel lier to turn Christian. To all thw Mme. Kifaat's answer was the answer given by Ruth long ago - where her husband went she would go; if he became a Christian, she would Itecome one too; his paqple should be her people, his God her God. Vcry touemng, and, so faf as the lady is t;5Ilii;il, LlVJtJlU iJjiaKJ. UUlJ YYI1UL11U1 lili. I.U; Bey himself deserves to be the object of such absolute devotion, an incident that occurred on the platform last ïiigkt gives one cause to doubt. Rifaat was calmly seated in a lirst-cláss carriage; mil the exile's impassive dignity and calm ichiliili the sound of wonien's wailiii;s carne i'rom thc waiting-room iinpressed one as quite heroic, whüst one was allowed to hold tVe delusion that it signilied indifFerenco!, his own misfortunes. ín an adjoirmg carnage were Mme. Rifaat and a female slave. both oí tlicm closely veiled and attired in the hlfl.nk lüicro-v crmvna Kavnt.ííi.n ludio íloat about in; mystoríous balloons, known to be human only by the voices tliat procced from therhi Theso ladies wero silent, and appoared naturally dispirited; but two fine little boys, the eldest being about ten years of age, stood at the carriage vindow, and talked away eheerfully in Fi'ench to the European visitors who liad como towish them good-speed. Presenté this impressior. of line fortitude, and a brave acceptance of banishment by a whole family ratker than its hoüored head shoul'd go forth a solitary exile, wa wofnlly disturbed and the head of the family himself made to appear in anything but an amiablo light. From the black crowd of wailing women in the distance suddenly one ivomari brokc, llirtiwing off the grasp of tliose who tried to hold her, and, rushing up to Rifaat, her veil all torn and her beauliful ñiee (mie of the most beautiful I have ever seen) literally bathed in tcars, erieil (n trulh with an execedingly bitter cry ?) , ' 'For the lovc of Hoaveu giyo me b;vek my ehild!'' Slie spoke in Arabic; bul her gestares and Jiordespair were 80 eloquent tliat tiie English gentlemen round the e;irriagc starled, and in delicate eompassion drew back from her and hst her plead her cause as shc might. Hut they had not taken into cousideration the high disdain a dignilied Oriental puls into his interoourse with women. Rifaat üej', who had a cigarette 'm bis mouth and continued Smokítíg vhile tiio'jjaé'r wi!l cfoáturc poured forth her complain!, only took it otrt nf bis nionth to sny onc word, signifving. "Be oír with yon," andas a hideons bMbft Nubian carne np qnick]y, the ]iey nodJed tohimwitli tbesMno getuve w'üh vhicii he miglit hay ruered tlie siave to Luush away a fly, and so the poor women was led away weeping aloud and beátiñg her breast. Thcn the story was whispured round tliatth s was Kif aai 's fiist wife, whom hu had divorced. Bilt an Egyptian, likp most Easterneis, seta great store by bis sons, evwn tbough he has gíown to líate their ! niother, and so Hifaat oarrios away into exile tlio only child of tuis poor deserted creature, whom I shoiild judge by lior fair complexión and lovely oval face, and also by lier perfect knowledge of Frcneh, to have been a Circassian slavc; chósen for her beauty and traiued in aecomplishments, like the '-Fair Per.sian" in the "Arabian Nights," and married as the "Fair Persian"' lierself was, to be thrown aside as lightly. Altor au, the iNuDian cumien womu soom lo havo reasoncd with tlie poor mbther moro compassionately than his nnaltraetive counlenance promised: for after a time she rcturncd witli her veil arranged, and only wcoping quietly. She passed llifaal's eariiage with bont head, and only stopped at Ihe adjoining onc. Sbo had brqughtswectmeatswith hor for the boy, and put tliem into his hands, and kisaed him, weeping; whilo hu accopted all her fondnesg with a placid iudift'erence whieh led one almost to hope his stepmother miglitfollow out the traditions of story-land and give him cause to rcgret the attention he valued so highly. After a few moments the TSTubian carne near the carï!.i rtri iiTi1 ortíii'imíi t r vitral inri t lií' W'PíM ing woman sho liad promisuil Hiere sliould not be fresli disturbance. This ünu; íihc walked back tb the othcr vomen quieüy, and iintil the train liad started wc saw no more of her. Later, onc of the sadde.it seenes 1 have ever witnessed was that of the bjack-gowned women round her, thoir guard of eunuchs standing with clasp'jd anus watching theni, whilst they wailed over her on the monotonons note Kgyptian wonicn dweil upon in lamentation. The divoreeil wife and bereaved mother was dist inguishable by her torn white veil and uncovered face, and also by her silence. She seeraed to havo exhausted grief, or at any ratehcrscnse of mourning, and sat there amongst the dark figures almost as though sho were dead and these wcre the funeral guests invited to bewail her.