eunuchs, but his desire to find the lady endowed him with the courage
and determination of a giant.

For eight days the intrepid Tartarin did not quit his search. Sometimes
he could be seen hanging about the turkish baths, waiting for the women
to emerge in chattering groups, scented from the bath. Sometimes he
appeared at the entrance of a mosque, puffing and blowing as he removed
his heavy boots before entering the sacred premises. On other occasions,
at nightfall, when he was returning to the hotel, downcast at having
discovered nothing at the mosque or the baths, he would hear, as he
passed one of the Moorish houses, monotonous songs, the muffled sound
of guitars, the rattle of tambourines and the light laughter of women,
which made his heart beat faster. "Perhaps she is there" He would say to
himself, and approaching the house he would lift the heavy knocker and
let it fall timidly.

Immediately the song and the laughter stop. Nothing can be heard within
but faint vague cluckings as if in a sleeping hen-house. Hold on thinks
our hero, something is about to happen, but what happened mostly was a
big pot of cold water on his head, or orange peel and fig skins.... Sleep
lions!




Chapter 20.

For two long weeks the unhappy Tartarin searched for his Algerian
lady-love, and it is likely that he would be searching still, if that
providence which looks after lovers had not come to his aid in the guise