The Slippers.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8012, 26 December 1905, Page 4

The Slippers.

A Story of Turkish Life, The day was declining, and the laet rayi of thPauu tinted intoa golden hue the crosses ol the churches and the crescents of the Turkish houses of prayer in Kerayev. Uechmed the Dervish descended ft hill towards the narrow street of onestory houses which seemed to drown in verdure. Casting a glance on all sides he noticed an open gate leading into a garden beside one of the largest houses. Suffering from hunger, and especially from thirst, he walked inlo the garden in the hope of find ing iti-re a well. In the gnrden he saw a peach tree covered with ripe fruit. Calmly, as if he were on his cw-i pound, he advanced to the tree and tearing off a handful of peaches started just as calmly in search of a spot where he could cat than undisturbed. He soon fouud such a place in aa arbor, and stretched himself comfortably oa the bench. Night was closing in. A light, fragrant breeie swept over the trees and the bushes, and when the pale-faced moon peeped out from the cl.ods, a nightingale burst into song near the deivith. Suddenly the sound of approaching steps was heard, and a young, richly dressed Turk cants out cautiously, from behind a tree and fixed his eyes at the windows of the house. The dervish was not mistaken thinking that he wouid involuntarily be a witness of a lovers' meeting, for no sooner had the young Turk coughed softly ihan the door of the balcony opened and a voice whispered rigb* over the head of the dervish: " Osman?" " Asira, my beautiful rose," replied th* young Turk, " your Osman is here; com* down." " Directly," said th* girl, " although I should not " "Why not?" '• You'll find it out directly. Wait a minute. I'll just take off my slippers so aa to make no noise on the stair-case."

Saying this, Asira hastily removed her wooden, heavy-sobd sandals, and leaving them on the balcouy, noiselessly ran down the stair?.

" Oh, Osman/' said the girl plaintively, M I have brought you had news." *' \Yfcit is it? " " You know that Chadji Keragovieb, your father, beini* a widower, was about to marry my aunt Subra, who lives with us. My father consented to the marriage, and the wedding was to take place next month. But this afternoon your father came to us, and said that be had heard so much of my beauty that he resolved to marry me instead ol Subra." 11 Yoa ? " exclaimed Osman, frightened. M My father!" " Unfortunately, it is true. Aunt Subra is in despair, ami my misery—l cannot find words to express it. My dearest, advise me, i teach me; what am I to do ? " " I'll speak to my father,' 1 said the young man resolutely. "Perhaps he will change ' his mind wnen he leams that I loved yo& before." " Wait," the girl interrupted. u I hear a noise in the house. Father and mother will be angry if they find ire here with you, after I have been promised to another."

" I hear do noise," said Osrnan. "Bat let us rather go in the shade of that tree. No oue will see as there." The dervish listened attentively to the conversation of the lovers. Now that they had atepped aside, and only their distant whisperings reached his ears, he stealthily moved the bench over to the balcony, and grabbed the slippers which Ashira had removed from her feet. "Ah, Allah,"ihe muttered, "kind and merciful one! I thank thee humbly! Thou hast brought me hither and hast illuminated my mind." The dervish examined the slippers carefully for some time, then he thrust them into the inside pocket of his cioak, took his staff, and slipped out noiselessly through the garden gate into the street. The dervish, after several inquiries, reached the house where Chadji Ketagovich lived. " May Allah bless this hou*e," said Mechmed. as he entered the dark vestibule.

" May Allah bless you/' replied a voice from the adjoining room. " Whoever you are, come in,my guest!" Mechmed opened the door and walked in. On a divnn, n?ar the windows, sat Karegevich, smoking a cigarette. He wa3 a solidly built man of about fifty, with a large black beard. When the dervish entered, Karegorich rose aud advanced two steps "I welcome yoa, holy mio, ander my roof! Tou are covered with dust." remarked Knregovich. " You must have travelled far, holy man " " I have walked all day long," replied the dervish. Ju?!bt has overtaken me before I could find an inn. 1 entered your house to ask for hospitality in the name of Allah." " Yon are welcome," said Karegovich " I am a believer."

" May Allah send blessings upon you and yonr harem!" " I hare no harem now; lam a widower; bat I intend to marry soon." " May Allah bless the moment when your bride will cross the threshold of yonr harem."

Karegovich heaved a sigh, and said : "The girl I am about to marry is"only sixteen years old, while lam past tifty. This troubles me. lam forever thinking whether •he will love me "

" If that troubles you, why don't you apply for aid to those who hare devoted themselves to the teachings of Allah ? " *• I understand you !" exclaimed Keragovich, and seized the dervish by the hand. Too are one of those chosen few "

"True," the dervish interrupted him. " Yes, I could help you. And as you have treated me so kindly, I shall not refuse to assist you, hoping that you will make an adequate present for our poor cloister." . " You'll get ten gold pieces for the cloister aod five for yourself!" exclaimed Keragovich, overjoyed. "I need nothing for myself," replied the dervish. " But let us not waste any time. Order to have the best room in the house cleared of ail the furniture, and to have the windows cl«>sed. Then lock me in the room, and give me some fruit and a large jug of w:ne. The wine is for the Evil Spirit which wili come to disturb my sacred work. As soon as he will see th* accursed beverage, he wiil empty the jag. an l, intoxicated, he will be unable to resist my curse, which will 4rive him away in the end." •' Everything will be done as you desire," said Keragovich, and left the room. A quarter of an hour later Keragovich re* tamed and ask the dervish to follow him.

" Here is the room—everything is there," the Turk pointed at a door. " Very well, 11 laid the dervish. "Do not eome in before I kooek, or both of us will die on the spot." And ti:e dervish entered the room Keragovich locked the door, and, awaiting the holy man'* return he prayed. An hour went by. The dervish knocked. Keragovich opened it and Mechmed came out. He looked exhausted, breathing with difficulty, quivering convulsively, and in his bands be held—a pair of slippers.

i" Praise and thank the great and merciful AJlah," be said, in a solemn tone. " He £ve me the power to conquer the evil spirit, steo, one of the angels of the uppermost •tnds you these slippers ; there are certain cbsrms oooeealed in them. If you put them

on the feat of the woman yoa have chosen aa {'our bride, she will immediately begin to ove you. Take these slippers next Friday to a certain place. Allah will arrange it so that your future shall come out to you.( Put the slippers on her feet and speak to her of your love ; but do not call her by name, or the charms will lose their power, and also do not stay there long. And when *you have pat the slippers on the woman destined to be your wife, you must marry her. If you don't the wrath of Allah will fall upon your head." " Don't be afraid, I will do everything as you say, my dear friend," exclaimed Keragovich, grasping the slippers and kissing them. " I thank you from the depth of my heart I " Keit morning Mcchmed, the Dervish, rose early, and., after his prayers, went out into the garden for a wall; before breakfast. There he met a young man, in whom he immediately recognised Osmau, the master's Bon, and Asira's beloved. \ *• My friend," said Osman to the dervish " I welcome you as the guest of my father.' * May Allah be with you,"' replied Meeh* ineii ; •* and may he grant you happiness and health I But what is that, young man," went on the dervish, gazing into his eyes. "I 6ce in your features an expression unbecoming to your age; your henrt is troubled with something painful—and i will tell yott the cause of it—it is love." " How do you make that out ?" exclaironi Osman, displeased. ♦•Allah has granted me the power to read the hearts of human beings. He sendß hit chosen people into the world to help the be lievers." " How ? You want to——" "Help the son of my kind master—what can be simpler? Tell me—does your b* loved reciprocate your love?" " She swears she loves me, and I believe her." •I'll tell you something which will surely overcome all obstacles. Cut oar cloister U poor." "I'll give you five gold pieces for good advice." •• Be it so, then. Don*t go out next Friday." "Very well; I take your advice," 6uid Osman, "although I cannot see how that can help the matter. Gome with me, and J will give you the money." "Thank you; our cloister is very poor," said Mechmed. " Another condition—don't breathe a word to anyone about this mattor, not even to your father. 11

An boar later, Mechmed, the Dervish, en tered the house of Achmed Bunifech, Asira's father. M Tell jour mistress," he said to the servant who met hitn at the entrance, " that a dervish who possesses the divine power to foretell the future offers his services." " The mistress is not at home," said the servant, "but her sister and the master's daughter are at home. I'll go aud tell them." He went away, and shortly returned with a servant girl, who asked the dervish to follow her. Soon the servant girl went away, and on the threshold of a large room Appeared a figure who3e face was covered with a heavy veil. Mechmed advanced toward her, took her by the hand and asked : " What is your name ? " "Asira," whispered the girl. The dervish examined her palm, then sjfid Boftly, and with conviction : " A certain youth loves you and is also beloved by you. There is but one thing that can save you from misery. Don't go out next Friday. "Yes," whispered the girl. " Now you may go," said Mechmed. " Allah docs not permit me tospcuk any longer." Asira departed noiselessly, and presently another muffled figure appeared in the doorway.

" Your name? " asked thd dervish. " Subra," was the reply. 14 Let me see you hand," he said; "you were engaged to be married to a man whom you love, but he has forsaken you because of another girl. Is it not true? " " Unfortunately it is true," and she heaved a sigh. "Allah will bring him to the right path, but you must do as I will tell 'you. If you will go out next Friday to a certain place this inconstant man will come up to you and will put a pair of slippers on your feet, as a sign of renewing his love for you. Speak little to him,: and hide your face Rsbestypu can. Go now. Allah does not wish mo'to speak any longer." Subra went away, and soon the servant girl brought the dervish five gold pieces. Frday night cainc. It was raining fast, and u sharp cold wind was blowing. Keragovich, his son, and the dervish were seated around the supper table, when Achmed. Bunifech rushed into the house.

" My friend " —he turned to Keragovicb. drawing from under his cloak a pair of slippers—" do yon know these slippers ? " " Certainly," replied Keragovich. " I have given them this evening to your daughter Asira."

"You gave them, not to my daughter Asira, but to my sister-in-law Subra. I hav» taken them from her feet."

" What? To Subra? " cried Keragovich, rising from his seat. "Dervish, you<fiav& deceived mc! Didn't you tell that Asira would come out to meet me in the garden ?" " Asira?" drawled out the dervish, surprised. " Recall, my friend, that you not mention any names to me. What biV% I (o do with Asira or Subra, whom I bav-< never seen in my life ? I told you the wo man destined to be your wife would corns out to meet you. That's all! " " But I don't want to marry Subra," said Keragovich angrily. "Then Allah's wrath will strike you," said the dervish solemnly. " Think of n?y warning that night." " What does all this mean ? " wondered Achmed. " Explain me first of all how these slippers came to you." "Allah himself has sent them to him," said the dervish, piously; "and as I now understand, He has chosen them as a tool to unite my kind master with hit destined bride."

•• Well, be it so," Keragovich sighed. " If it has been decreed on high, 1 submit to the will Uppermost. Achmed Bnnifecb, wiil you give me Subra in marriage ? " " Take her! "exclaimed Achmed with joy. "You were wrong in forsaking her on ac» count q( my young daughter." •'Father," said Osnmn, "Now that you have found a bride for you, allow me to marry—Asira." " What! " cried Keragovich. " Asira ! " " We have loved each other a long time." *• Another miracle of Allah!" muttered the dervish.

" Well, iet her be your bride. Oh, what joy I I must run home and tell them the news! " said Achmed. "Wait, my friends," interposed the dervish. " Don't forget f to praise Allab for uniting two happy couples. And don't forget our poor cloister! Allah will reward you." Nest morning the dervish left Keragovich'i house. At the foot of the hill he paused, counted bis gold pieces, and said with satisfaction, winking at the sky : " I thank thee, Ailah, for heeding my prayer and glinting my request. Oh, those blessed slippers ! " And he resumed his way merrily.—Adapted from the Russian by # Hcrniao Bernstein, in "Amerieao Exchange/'