show the superiority. It would not have been fitting
for a sincere psychologist to convert a purely adventitious difficulty
into a defeat; and the removal of my harem would have furnished a
specious argument for some detractor of my doctrines who would not have
failed to seize hold of this slight practical obstacle in order to raise
a controversy. Then, too, I should have been violating human dignity and
confessing the fragility of my system of social renovation if I had so
lowered myself as to completely sequestrate the women after the fashion
of some vile Asiatic satrap.

To be brief, I stood firm; and I conscientiously instructed Mohammed,
who was already alarmed, not to interfere with the freedom of their
diversions in the garden.

Being confident in the healthy effects of an application of the immortal
principles, I had ceased to busy myself about this affair, when, as I
arrived in the evening three days ago, I saw Mohammed hasten to me,
looking scared. With signs of acute emotion, he begged of me to hear him
privately, having an important communication to make.

I entered his room where I invited him to unbosom himself.

He then informed me--in a tone of genuine despair, I will admit--that
the honour of the harem and also his own were terribly compromised. In
point of fact, he had during the day surprised Zouhra at her window
corresponding by signs with a young and superb nobleman who had come to
one of the windows of the neighbouring house. This audacious lover,
judging by his military uniform, bedizened with gold lace, must at the
least be a _muchir_ or general.

Had a thunderbolt fallen at Mohammed's feet it certainly would not have
caused him greater consternation. The unfortunate fellow did not seem to
doubt for one moment what punishment awaited him. But I reassured him,
for as you may well suppose, with my system this useless practice is
destined to disappear as being superfluous: the dignified position of
eunuch not being compatible with our laws. However, under the
circumstances, I did not think that I could dispense with opening a
serious inquiry concerning this offence which, according to Mohammed,
had been perpetrated repeatedly for some days past. Even letters, thrown
over the walls, had been exchanged.

On the morrow then, I repaired to the house before the hour usually
selected for this correspondence, and placing myself on the upper floor,
I waited, screened by a curtain, thanks to which I co