this section of Gaul the name of "Bracciata" with the
Romans; descendants of the Visigoths who remained faithful to their old
Germanic dress, the furred coat, despite the warmth of the climate;
Arabians with turbans of all colors. From time to time, the cry of the
Musselman priests, calling the believers to prayer from the height of
the minarets, mixed with the chimes of basilicas that summoned the
Christians to their devotions.

"Christian dogs!" said the Arabs or Musselman Gauls. "Accursed heathens,
damned degenerates!" answered the Christians; whereupon both proceeded
to exercise their own cult in peace. More tolerant than the bishops of
Rome, Mahomet said in the Koran: "Do not do violence upon men for reason
of their religion."

CHAPTER II.

ABD-EL-KADER AND ROSEN-AER.

Abd-el-Kader, one of the bravest chiefs of the warriors of Abd-el-Rhaman
during the life of this emir, who was killed five years before on the
field of Poitiers where he delivered a great battle to Charles Martel
(the Hammer)--Abd-el-Kader, after ravaging and pillaging the country and
the churches of Tours and of Blois, occupied one of the handsomest
dwellings in Narbonne. He had the house arranged in Oriental
fashion--the outside windows were closed up, and laurels were planted in
the inner courtyard, from the center of which a fountain jetted its
steady stream. His harem occupied one of the wings of the house. In one
of the chambers of this harem, covered with rich carpets of gay colors,
furnished with silk divans, and lighted by a window with gilded bars,
sat a woman of rare beauty, although about forty years of age. It was
easy to recognize by the whiteness of her skin, the blondness of her
hair and the blue of her eyes that she was not of Arabian stock. Her
pale and sad face revealed a settled and profound sorrow. The curtain
that covered the door of the chamber was pushed aside and Abd-el-Kader
entered. The swarthy-complexioned warrior was about fifty years of age;
his beard and moustache were grizzled; his face, calm and grave,
expressed dignity and mildness. He stepped slowly towards the woman and
said to her: "Rosen-Aer, we meet to-day for the last time, perhaps."

The Gallic matron seemed surprised and replied: "If I am not to see you
again, I still shall remember you. I am your slave, but you have been
kind and generous to me. I shall never forget that six years ago, when
the Arabians invaded Burgundy and raided the valley of