第32章

ThemanwhorepeatedtheEmir’swords——atallspareTartar——

washewhocarriedoutthesentencesofFeofar-Khanagainstoffenders。

HehadtakenhisplacebehindMichael，holdinginhishandabroadcurvedsaber，oneofthoseDamascenebladeswhichareforgedbythecelebratedarmorersofKarschiorHissar。

Behindhimguardswerecarryingatripodsupportingachafing-dishfilledwithlivecoals。Nosmokearosefromthis，butalightvaporsurroundedit，duetotheincinerationofacertainaromaticandresinoussubstancewhichhehadthrownonthesurface。

ThePersiansweresucceededbyanotherpartyofdancers，whomMichaelrecognized。Thejournalistsalsoappearedtorecognizethem，forBlountsaidtohiscompanion，“ThesearetheTsiganesofNijni-Novgorod。“

“Nodoubtofit，“criedAlcide。“Theireyes，Iimagine，bringmoremoneytothesespiesthantheirlegs。“

InputtingthemdownasagentsintheEmir’sservice，AlcideJolivetwas，byallaccounts，notmistaken。

InthefirstrankoftheTsiganes，Sangarreappeared，superbinherstrangeandpicturesquecostume，whichsetoffstillfurtherherremarkablebeauty。

Sangarredidnotdance，butshestoodasastatueinthemidstoftheperformers，whosestyleofdancingwasacombinationofthatofallthosecountriesthroughwhichtheirracehadpassed——Turkey，Bohemia，Egypt，Italy，andSpain。Theywereenlivenedbythesoundofcymbals，whichclashedontheirarms，andbythehollowsoundsofthe“daires“——asortoftambourineplayedwiththefingers。

Sangarre，holdingoneofthosedaires，whichsheplayedbetweenherhands，encouragedthistroupeofveritablecorybantes。

AyoungTsigane，ofaboutfifteenyearsofage，thenadvanced。

Heheldinhishanda“doutare，“stringsofwhichhemadetovibratebyasimplemovementofthenails。Hesung。

Duringthesingingofeachcouplet，ofverypeculiarrhythm，adancertookherpositionbyhimandremainedthereimmovable，listeningtohim，buteachtimethattheburdencamefromthelipsoftheyoungsinger，sheresumedherdance，dinninginhisearswithherdaire，anddeafeninghimwiththeclashingofhercymbals。

Then，afterthelastchorus，theremaindersurroundedtheTsiganeinthewindingsoftheirdance。

AtthatmomentashowerofgoldfellfromthehandsoftheEmirandhistrain，andfromthehandsofhisofficersofallranks；tothenoisewhichthepiecesmadeastheystruckthecymbalsofthedancers，beingaddedthelastmurmursofthedoutaresandtambourines。

“Lavishasrobbers，“saidAlcideintheearofhiscompanion。

Andinfactitwastheresultofplunderwhichwasfalling；

for，withtheTartartomansandsequins，rainedalsoRussianducatsandroubles。

Thensilencefollowedforaninstant，andthevoiceoftheexecutioner，wholaidhishandonMichael’sshoulder，oncemorepronouncedthewords，whichthisrepetitionrenderedmoreandmoresinister:

“Lookwhileyoumay“

ButthistimeAlcideobservedthattheexecutionernolongerheldthesaberbareinhishand。

Meanwhilethesunhadsunkbehindthehorizon。Asemi-obscuritybegantoenveloptheplain。Themassofcedarsandpinesbecameblackerandblacker，andthewatersoftheTom，totallyobscuredinthedistance，mingledwiththeapproachingshadows。

Butatthatinstantseveralhundredsofslaves，bearinglightedtorches，enteredthesquare。LedbySangarre，TsiganesandPersiansreappearedbeforetheEmir’sthrone，andshowedoff，bythecontrast，theirdancesofstylessodifferent。

TheinstrumentsoftheTartarorchestrasoundedforthinharmonystillmoresavage，accompaniedbythegutturalcriesofthesingers。

Thekites，whichhadfallentotheground，oncemorewingedtheirwayintothesky，eachbearingaparti-

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