The Veiled Man

by William Le Queux

One!"

  A smile of satisfaction played about the lips of the red-robed visitantfrom the unknown; but, without further word, he turned and stalkedslowly to the mosque, the excited crowd closing in behind him, rendingthe air with their adulatory cries.

  Throughout many days I remained in Zemnou. Once I saw the mysteriousvisitant pass in the darkness, and truly his luminous face shone like alamp. One morning, however, while wandering among the palms outside thetown, I met the Ruler of Earth walking alone, his head sunk upon hisbreast in pensive attitude. With his red cloak trailing heedlessly inthe dust, he presented a decidedly dejected appearance. My footstepsstartled him, and, raising his head quickly, he walked erect with hisusual gait, apparently being desirous of concealing his melancholy.

  "Praise!" I exclaimed, stopping, and bowing low before him. "If thouart, indeed, Allah, thou alone knowest the innermost thoughts of thyservant."

  He paused, and stretched both his white tapering hands above my bowedhead.

  "Thy thoughts are of me," he answered. "Thou desirest speech with mealone. Speak."

  So calmly he looked upon me that I was convinced that such a kindly,sympathetic face, with its expression of a sweet sadness, could not behuman. Besides, had he not healed the sick, and caused trees to growfrom out the desert sand? Yet a spirit of scepticism possessed me, and,scarcely knowing what words I uttered, I said--

  "If thou art the mighty and wise One thou canst tell me my name, andwhence I have come."

  In an instant his brows knit, and his eyes flashed angrily.

  "Thou art an unbeliever, and one of my accursed. Thou, who darest toquestion my immutability and omnipotence, go dwell with Eblis, Ruler ofDarkness, where maleficient spirits shall haunt thee, and the torturesof the flesh shall rend thee for ever. Begone!"

  And drawing his robe about his shoulders, he moved forward with trulyimperial gait.

  At that moment I saw through the trees a pious fanatical crowdapproaching. The news had evidently spread that the All-merciful waswalking in the outskirts of the town, and they had come forth to touchhis garments and receive his blessing. But when he saw them he halted,and, pointing towards me, cried--

  "Lo! Yonder is one of the sons of Eblis, a scoffer and unbeliever. Lethis body be given to the dogs."

  Ere I could realise that the kind-faced man had condemned me to death,the mob, with loud yells of execration, rushed forward to seize me, andhurry me to an ignominious end. But in an instant I dashed in among thetrees, and fled for life so quickly that I at length managed toout-distance my irate pursuers, and till evening I slept beneath theshadow of a rock. Then, determined to speak again with the AlmightyOne, I returned into the town, taking the precaution to purchase newgarments to prevent recognition.

  The All-powerful had aroused further suspicion within me by hisembarrassment when I had questioned him, and by his anxiety that Ishould be killed ere I could utter denunciation. Without doubt, hepossessed a mixture of firmness and independence which raised him aboveall prejudices, for he expressed his opinions to Abreha, the Sheikh,with the same frankness he employed towards the humblest tribesman;nevertheless, when we had spoken, I had detected a dramatic pose and anartificiality of manner which puzzled me. Again, at the moment when Ihad addressed him, I had noticed, walking at some little distance behindhim, a young girl of extreme beauty. She was unveiled, in the manner ofthe Kel-Alkoum, but somehow her face struck me as familiar, and Idesired to again behold her. With that object I resumed my formerquarters in the market-place, and kept watchful vigil. Next morning shecame. Her face was paler than before, and it wore an anxious, terrifiedexpression. I inquired who she was, and was told that to all she was amystery. Whence she came no man knew, but Allah had declared her to beone of his chosen, hence none molested her, or made enquiry.

  I smiled, for I had recognised her. She was Mezouda, daughter of one ofour fighting men, who had been long ago captured by the Kel-Oui, andwhose whereabouts had remained unknown.

  An hour later I contrived to have secret speech with her. At first shedid not recognise me, but when I told her who I was, then she at onceexpressed her eagerness to return to her own people.

  "Thou shalt return to our camp only on one condition, namely, that thouwilt induce that man known as Allah to accompany thee," I answered. "Heis thy friend."

  "But the Kel-Alkoum are his well-beloved," she said, using the sameexpression he so often used.

  "He must forsake them," I observed, explaining to her the baneful effectthe report had exercised upon our men of the Azjar.

  But she shook her head. "No, he will not leave the Kel-Alkoum. He isalready their ruler," she said. "The power of Abreha is now fastwaning."

  "Take me to him," I commanded.

  "But his house is a holy place. None dare enter on penalty of beingcast out for ever."

  "I will risk it," I answered. "Guide thither my footsteps."

  Reluctantly she led me through a number of narrow crooked streets, untilshe paused before a small mud-built hut, and pointed to it.

  Without ceremony I pushed open its closed door, and, entering, discernedthe great King, half-dressed, standing before a scrap of broken mirrorcombing his beard. His face and neck were brown, so were his hands, buthis breast and arms were white! The sympathetic countenance andtapering fingers were ingeniously stained to match the colour of the menof the desert, but the remainder of his body showed him to be aEuropean.

  "How darest thou thus disturb my privacy, accursed son of Eblis?" hecried in anger, evidently recognising me as the one whom he hadcondemned to death on the previous day.

  "I have entered in order to denounce thy profane chicanery," I answeredboldly. "Thou, the self-styled Allah, art an infidel, an impostor, anda fraud!"

  He started at my fierce declaration, for the first time recollectingthat parts of his chest, arms, and legs were exposed to my gaze. Hisface blanched beneath its artificial colouring, and his white lipstrembled.

  "Well!" he gasped, "and if thou hast discovered my secret--what then?"

  "The people of the Kel-Alkoum shall be made aware of how completely theyhave been tricked," I answered, taking up a small pot, which I smelt,and found contained a preparation of phosphorous. This he had evidentlyused to cause his face to be luminous in the darkness.

  "No!" he cried, "anything but that. I would rather kill myself outrightthan face the ferocity of these people."

  "Then truthfully answer my questions," I said firmly, when I hadexplained to him who I was, and the sensation caused in our camp by thereport of his assistance to our enemies. "Whence comest thou?"

  "I come from the land of the Roumis over the great black water," heanswered, suddenly casting off all cant and concealment. "My name isMostyn Day, and I am an English mining prospector. Long ago, while inmy own country, I read of the ease with which the fanatical Arabs may beimposed upon by fearless and unscrupulous men who desire to obtain powerover them; and, truth to tell, hearing that great mineral wealth existedin the country of the Kel-Alkoum, and knowing Arabic well, I conceived aplan to come here, announce myself as Allah, and obtain over the tribesuch complete authority and control that I should either become theirSheikh or obtain a concession to exploit all the mines in this richregion. My object was very nearly accomplished. To-morrow there isarranged a great rising of the people against Abreha, with the object ofdeclaring me their ruler, but,"--and he paused sighing--"your discoveryhas put an end to it all."

  "But what of the miracles you have worked in various villages?"

  "Mere conjuring tricks and sleight-of-hand," he laughed. "Once, longago, I was connected with an English travelling show, therefore I amfamiliar with most stage tricks. But now I have confessed to you, youwill not expose me. Remember, unless you allow me to fly, these peoplewill assuredly take my life."

  "I will preserve silence on one condition only," I replied. "Thatto-night, an hour after sundown, you leave with me, journey to myencampment, and there exhibit to my p
eople your painted face and arms,explaining to them the reason of your imposture, and showing them howyou contrived to render your countenance luminous at night."

  At first he demurred, but finding me inexorable he at length submitted,and asked to be allowed to take Mezouda with him.

  "She is my wife," he explained. "I married her in Algiers two yearsago, and by her aid alone have I been enabled to approach so nearly therealisation of the plot I had conceived."

  "It was truly an ingenious one," I laughed. "Yes, Mezouda shall go withthee. Remain in silence of thine intentions, and meet me among thepalms outside the town an hour after sundown."

  At first I feared that the intrepid Englishman, who had so nearly beenthe cause of a great Jehad through the whole