The Pirate City Part 29

"Sidi Cadua," exclaimed the consul, rising hastily, "excuse my leaving you now. I have to attend the divan. You shall hear from me soon.

You--you,"--looking round--"have no other house than this--no food?"

"Nothing!" said the old man in a low voice, as his white head sank on his bosom.

"Listen, my man," said the consul earnestly, as he hastened down to the Marina.

"Yis, Signor," answered Bobi.

"Can you find time to go out to my house just now?"

"Yis, Signor."

"Then, go--go as fast as legs or horse can carry you. See my wife; tell her what we have seen; let her send Rais Ali into town with other servants--separately, not to attract attention--with baskets--full baskets, you understand?"

"Yis, Signor, full to bustin'," answered Bobi, with glittering eyes.

"Full as they can hold of all that is needful--she will understand that.--There, be off--lose no time," said the consul, thrusting a quant.i.ty of silver into the man's hand.

"Kurnul Langley," said Bobi, with enthusiasm glowing in his solitary eye, as he turned to go; "you--by the beard of the Prophet!--you're the ace of trumps!"

With this strong, if not elegant expression of his sentiments, the sympathetic Bobi hurried away, and Colonel Langley entered the divan, where were a.s.sembled the Dey and the chief officers of state.

The discussion on that occasion was conducted warmly, for the pirates believed that they had made a good and legitimate prize in the shape of a Greek vessel, which was owned by a Mr and Mrs de Lisle, who, with their little son, were also captured.

Colonel Langley claimed these as British subjects, and the vessel as British property.

In this case the pirates had taken a precaution which, they had hoped, would save them all trouble. On boarding the vessel they had demanded all Mr de Lisle's papers and pa.s.sports, which, when delivered up, were torn into atoms and thrown into the sea. Thus they sought to destroy all evidence of the nature of the prize.

Mr de Lisle was a native of Guernsey, and therefore an English subject.

Early in life he had entered a commercial house in Holland, and been naturalised there. Afterwards he was sent to a branch of the same house in Naples, which at that time was occupied by the French. Ama.s.sing considerable property, he resolved to return to his native land, and hired a Greek vessel, as being a neutral one, to convey him. On his way, he fell into the hands of the Algerines.

At the divan the British consul claimed that Mr de Lisle and his family and property should be delivered up to him.

The Turks, with whom Colonel Langley was out of favour now that his friend Achmet was dead, were furious. How could he be an Englishman, they said, when it was well-known that the French would not have permitted one of their chief enemies to remain at Naples?

"And besides," added Omar, with a touch of sarcasm, "where are his papers to prove that what he says is true?"

The consul had made his demand with unusual firmness and dignity, for the memory of poor Sidi Cadua was strong upon him, but this latter remark somewhat perplexed him. Fortunately, at the moment, de Lisle himself, who was present, started up and said in English, across the divan--

"If I am permitted to go on board my vessel, I can still bring satisfactory evidence of my nationality."

The Turks were extremely unwilling to concede this, but when the consul turned and said to the Dey, "I trust your highness will not refuse so reasonable a request," he was permitted to go. In a short time he returned with the certificate of his marriage, which proved that he had been married in Guernsey, and was a British subject, to the inexpressible rage of the divan, who were compelled, however, to give in.

"Nevertheless, Monsieur le Console," said the Dey sternly, "if it shall be proved, even twenty years hence, that you were wrong in this matter, you shall have to answer for it."

From that time the British consul and the Dey became open enemies, which was a matter of gratulation to the consuls of some of the other powers, who had been rather jealous of Colonel Langley's influence with the late Dey, Achmet.

Not long afterwards they would have been glad if his influence could have been restored; for Omar, being soured by what had occurred at the divan, as well as by many other things that crossed his imperious will, commenced to act in such an outrageous manner that the various consuls felt not only their independence but their lives in jeopardy.

Sending for the Danish consul one morning, Omar told that unfortunate man that his government had already been warned more than once to pay the tribute which was past due, and that he was going to stand their neglect no longer. He therefore ordered him to be put in chains, and sent forthwith to work in the stone-quarries.

The order was at once obeyed. A chaouse, at a signal from the Dey, seized the Danish consul by the waist-band, thrust him out of the palace, and along the streets to the Bagnio, there loaded him with chains, and led him forth to work with the slaves!

The consternation of the other consuls was of course extreme. The instant Colonel Langley heard of it, he ordered his horse and galloped into town, accompanied by Rais Ali and Ted Flaggan, the latter having const.i.tuted himself a sort of extra aide-de-camp or special attendant of the consul, in order to gratify the more easily an insatiable thirst for knowledge as to all that took place around him.

They went direct to the residence of the Danish consul, where they found his poor wife and children in the deepest grief and alarm at what had occurred, for it had been reported to them that Omar had said he would order the wife and children of the Danish consul to be put up for sale in the public slave-market if the tribute due by Denmark were not paid without further delay.

"Trust me, madam," said the Colonel with indignation, "we shall not suffer this barbarian to carry out his threats, and we will, moreover, see instant justice done to your husband."

Hastily writing several notes requesting a meeting with his brother consuls in the residence of the Dane, he despatched them by his two satellites, and very speedily the whole were a.s.sembled.

"Gentlemen," said Colonel Langley, after some conversation, "it is imperative that we should act at once, unitedly and with decision.

Anything like vacillation at such a crisis will encourage these barbarians to proceed to extremities which may end in our ruin. Need I call to your remembrance the recent case of the unhappy Dutch consul, who had dwelt twenty-three years in this city, and who, although an old and infirm man, was loaded with irons of sixty pounds' weight, and marched out to labour with the other slaves, from which treatment he soon after died--all, forsooth, because his government had delayed to send the accustomed annual `present' to the Dey at the appointed time?

It concerns us all, gentlemen, that we should act promptly. We must proceed in a body at once--within this hour--to the palace, and demand that our brother consul shall instantly be set at liberty. For this purpose, if you agree with me, we must elect one of our number to be spokesman."

At this point the other consuls interrupted the Colonel, by begging him to accept the office, and to lead them out at once.

"I accept it with pleasure," said the Colonel, turning to Rais Ali, who stood at his elbow.--"Rais, you will accompany me to interpret--"

"Oh, Monsieur!" exclaimed Rais, who had not many minutes before been boasting to his friend Flaggan that he was a brave English tar as good as himself, but who now turned very pale; "oh no, no! Please, Monsieur, demand me not to go dis time for interprit. For certain the Dey hims kill me--hims kill all of us."

"Well then, Rais," replied the Colonel, somewhat amused at the man's undisguised terror, "we shall all die together, and you will at least have the comfort of falling in goodly company."

"But, master," supplicated Rais, "I's not a Turk; me dare not defy the Dey to hims visage. I's only a craulie!"

By which the unhappy man meant to explain that he was only the son of a Turk by an Algerine mother, and that as such he could expect no mercy if he aided in bearding the Dey in his den; but the Colonel was inexorable, and poor Rais Ali was obliged to submit.

At this time, the English and French being at war, there existed a somewhat natural feeling of estrangement between the representatives of the two nations at Algiers. Colonel Langley thought the present a good opportunity to effect a better understanding between them. He therefore offered his arm to the French consul, who accepted it politely, though with feelings of surprise. Thus they walked out two and two into the street, and marched down the princ.i.p.al thoroughfare, across the great square, and straight into the palace.

The amazement of the Algerines at this sight was great, for they were well aware of the bad feeling which had for many years existed between the leading couple in this little procession, or rather between their predecessors, some of whom had taken undignified, not to say disgraceful, methods of displaying their jealousy.

"Allah!" exclaimed the Algerines, turning up their eyes, "the English and French consuls walking together! Surely the old prophecy is about to come true, `When Christians are at peace among themselves the downfall of Algiers is decreed!'"

It is said that there really does exist a very old prophecy to this effect among the Mussulmans of Algeria, and certain it is that the prophecy was ultimately fulfilled, but at the time of which we write it was only antic.i.p.ated.

Demanding an immediate audience, the party were admitted into the presence-chamber, where they created feelings of great surprise in the b.r.e.a.s.t.s of the pirate-king and his piratical courtiers.

When Rais Ali had tremblingly translated the demand which had been made with stern dignity by his master, the Dey flew into a towering rage, and actually foamed at the mouth, as he replied--

"Why art thou not glad that I thus punish your old enemy? Was not England lately at war with Denmark?"

"I am not glad," answered the British consul, "because it is against the spirit of Christianity to cultivate feelings of revenge, and the fact that we were not long since at war with Denmark is no doubt the very reason why the Danes have found it difficult to pay, at the exact time, the debt which they will unquestionably discharge before long; but if your highness continues to act thus to their representative, in despite of his inviolable character, and in defiance of treaties wherein it is specified that the persons and families of consuls are to be held sacred, you may rest a.s.sured that no civilised nation will continue to treat with you."

"What care the Deys of Algiers for the persons of consuls, which you deem so sacred?" said Omar savagely. "Hast thou not heard that in time past we have blown the consuls of refractory nations from the months of our cannon?"

"I have," replied the Colonel calmly, "and I have also heard that Algiers has been several times bombarded, and nearly reduced to ashes.

I do not presume to use threats to your highness," added the consul firmly, though respectfully, "but I am here as spokesman of these representatives of various powers, to a.s.sure you that if you do not release the consul of Denmark immediately, we will all write to our respective governments to send vessels of war to remove us from a court where the law of nations is not respected."