‘Dr Maturin,’ she said without any change of expression or tone that he could detect, ‘I wish I could oblige you, but children are my husband’s aversion, his absolute aversion: he cannot bear them.’
‘I am told that it is often the case with men.’
‘It is like some people with cats: he cannot tolerate them anywhere in the house. But if, as I suppose, from their origin and from what you say, they are Roman Catholics, then I believe the Redemptorist Fathers are the people to apply to.’
‘Many thanks, your ladyship,’ said Stephen, rising. ‘My compliments wait on Sir Peter.’
Outside, cheerfully greeted by his slaves, who showed him a palm-frond torn from the tree, he saw with great satisfaction that Jacob had retained the carriage. ‘I came on a fool’s errand,’ he said. ‘Lady Clifford does not choose to house the children. I was truly astonished at her frankness.’
‘Were you, though?’ asked Jacob, looking at him curiously. ‘Nevertheless, we shall be perfectly happy at our lodging-house: but I am sorry for your disappointment.’
It was a disappointment, however, and it shook his faith in his own judgement to a remarkable degree. He sent a note excusing himself from dinner and spent a pleasant evening feeding the children - ingenuous little creatures - with Fatima. Jacob was away, visiting a Lebanese cousin who also dealt in gem-stones, though on a much larger scale, and in negotiating loans. Coming back when Stephen was in bed, he asked him whether he was asleep. ‘I am not,’ said Stephen.
‘Then let me tell you that my cousin has had news that Ibn Hazm’s caravan began its return only yesterday. It is difficult country and they will need ten days to reach Azgar, let alone the little port whose name escapes me.’
‘Arzila, I think.’
‘Arzila indeed: so with our blessed days of grace, I believe we have a fortnight and to spare.’
‘That is very good news indeed: I rejoice.’
‘And Abdul Reis, the head of one of the corsair groups, says that the wind will diminish tomorrow. If we like to see some of his galleys we should be welcome at the inner harbour, but quite early in the day, because if the wind does as he thinks it will, he may set out for Sardinia before noon. There are advantages in being well-seen by the Dey.’
‘Certainly. Listen, Amos: ‘did you ever read an author who said “Never underestimate a woman’s capacity for jealousy, however illogical or inconsistent or indeed self-defeating”?’
‘I do not think so: but the notion is fairly wide-spread among those who think of men and women as belonging to two different nations; and who wish to be profound.’
Nevertheless, Lady Clifford’s behaviour puzzled Stephen, and until he fell asleep he turned and re-turned it in his mind, with no satisfactory answer at all. He was awakened at dawn, not by any of the usual noises of a disorderly house nor by Dr Jacob’s steady, persevering snore, but by a little girl’s voice in his ear, asking whether there were any cows to be milked.
There were not, but there was water to be drawn with Fatima’s help, faces to be washed, prayers to be said, and a perfectly delightful breakfast to be eaten - bananas and dates amazed the children - in a little hidden court behind: soft bread toasted on the brazier that at some distance kept the coffee warm - toasted and spread with honey. ‘Are you not cold, children, with nothing but shirts?’ he asked.
‘Not at all; and they are not just ordinary shirts but proper clothes: Achmet, though quite old, has nothing else,’ they replied. ‘Here is the other gentleman. Good morning, sir: God be with you.’
Jacob gave them a Hebrew blessing, drank a great draught of coffee, and said to Stephen, ‘When you had gone to bed, a parcel came for you. I did not choose to wake you, but there it is in our room. I shall bring it down as soon as I am more nearly myself. How very much better these children look after a night’s sleep: you could hardly mistake them for half-starved apes any more.’
In a little while, his good nature returning, Jacob fetched the parcel, forwarded from the consulate: hardly a parcel in the western sense - no paper, no string, but a sombrely gorgeous robe lapped about with silk scarves enveloping the rifle with which Stephen had killed his lioness. Attached to it was a letter with the Vizier’s elegant explanation of a mistake among the people of the baggage-train, his well-turned apologies and his hope that if the loss had been mentioned to his present Highness, the return might also be noticed. And after the European signature came a far more beautiful passage of Arabic. ‘Please would you read this for me?’ asked Stephen.
‘It is a blessing, a series of blessings on you and yours, mentioning many of the attributes of God, the Merciful, the
