Page:Ossendowski - The Fire of Desert Folk.djvu/321

Rh eye of an unbeliever; and, as no one but you has seen him, you are the cause of his misfortune."

Protestations of innocence by the agent availed nothing. As a proof that the hakim was right, an old beggar woman possessing the gift of second sight was summoned, looked into the eyes of the merchant and declared that the stranger in truth had "a bad eye." Immediately the Berbers who were in the room with the agent left the house in terror. Then a friend of the Frenchman, a local cadi, advised him to seek out the Marabout as the highest tribunal for his case. During his talk with the Marabout the agent incautiously and probably as a result of exasperated nerves snapped out:

"You confuse the serious things of life with your superstitious and foolish beliefs!"

"Sidi," answered the Marabout, straightening himself, "our beliefs are as old as this earth which you course. Hundreds of generations have held these beliefs, lived according to them and prospered in following them. Do not offend our faith."

When he found he could do nothing with the saint, he returned to the house of the cadi. But the Marabout had spread like lightning the word that the Frenchman had offended the whole community by calling their faith stupid, which brought an electric transition in the attitude of the cadi. As an official personage, owing much to the favor of the French administration, he was polite but refused to give any material aid to the agent.

"I shall go to the tribunal," the Frenchman threatened.

"Insh Allah."

"Djinns will take revenge on all of you," the agent