ll the kingdoms of the earth and the glory of
them. Here I committed the most rash, most impulsive act of my life. You
will say it was impossible in one brought up as I had been. I have
learned that nothing is impossible. Remember also my youth; that I was
in a sense alone in the world; had never loved, never even thought of
love. I will now tell you a secret hitherto locked within my own breast.
In a word, I married. Djidjelly has been considered almost impregnable,
but no fortress can keep out the arrows of Cupid.

"I had been in the town for about a week, exploring the rocks and
heights, picturing that terrible expedition two centuries ago, when the
Kabyles brought Beaufort and his men to utter defeat. One day I had
walked some ten miles into the interior. I was revelling in the perfume
of one of the lovely groves that abound, when suddenly I came upon a
vision of grace and beauty that absolutely dazzled and astounded me. It
was that witching hour of evening when the sun nears the horizon and
all nature seems sinking to repose. A perfect paradise of orange and
almond trees, olives and pomegranates interspersed with the wild laurel,
surrounded me. Never did paradise boast a fairer Eve. The declining sun
threw deep shadows athwart the paths; branches and foliage traced fairy
pictures of sunlight and shade.

"In this enchanting scene stood a young Kabyle woman, lovelier than
anything I had ever seen before or have ever dreamed of since. She was
about seventeen, but here, as you know, women develop early. Her form
was perfect as her face. If she walked, her step was light and majestic.
If she ran, it was with the grace of the gazelle. Everything about her
was harmonious. Her abundant dark hair crowned a small and shapely head.
Her eyes, large, dark and soft, flashed with sensibility and
intelligence beneath pencilled eyebrows and long drooping eyelashes that
almost swept her cheek. Her expression was one of singular purity and
guilelessness. All the passionate temperament of the East seemed to have
passed her by. Yet how purely, how fervently she could love. Over a
silken robe she wore a haick or burnous of fine gossamer that fell about
her in graceful folds. When her small coral lips parted they revealed
the most exquisite of pearly teeth. Her voice was music. You will say
that I am making her too perfect. This would indeed be impossible. I
have never met any one to approach her either in grace of mind or beauty
of fea