“How many legitimate wives have you?”

“I have four, that is to say, the number authorized by the Koran.”

“Do they live together on a good understanding?”

“Ah, sir, my house is a hell.  I never enter it without finding them at the step of the door, or at the bottom of the stairs; then, each wants to be the first to make me listen to the complaints which she has to bring against her companions.  I am about to utter blasphemy, but I think that our holy religion ought to prohibit a plurality of wives to those who are not rich enough to give to each a separate habitation.”

“But since the Koran allows you to repudiate even legitimate wives, why do you not send back three of them to their parents?”

“Why? because that would ruin me.  On the day of the marriage the father of the young woman to be married stipulates for a dowry, and the half of it is paid.  The other half may be exacted the day that the woman is repudiated.  It would then be three half dowries that I should have to pay if I sent back three of my wives.  I ought, however, to rectify one inaccuracy in what I said just now, that my four wives had never agreed together.  Once, they were agreed among themselves in the feeling of a common hatred.  In going through the market I had bought a young negress.  In the evening, when I retired to rest, I perceived that my wives had prepared no bed for her, and that the unfortunate girl was extended on the ground.  I rolled up my trowsers and laid them under her head as a kind of pillow.  In the morning the distracting cries of the poor slave made me run to her, and I found her nearly sinking under the blows of my four wives; for once they understood each other marvellously well.”

In February, 1809, the new Dey, the successor of the “epileur,” a short time after having entered on his functions, claimed from two to three hundred thousand francs,—­I do not remember exactly the sum,—­which he pretended was due to him from the French Government.  M. Dubois Thainville answered that he had received the Emperor’s orders not to pay one centime.

The Dey was furious, and decided upon declaring war against us.  A declaration of war at Algiers used to be immediately followed by putting all the persons of other nations into prison.  This time matters were not pushed to this extreme limit.  Our names might be figuring on the list of the slaves of the Regency; but in fact, so far as I was concerned, I remained free in the consular house.  By means of a pecuniary guarantee, contracted with the Swedish Consul, M. Norderling, I was even permitted to live at his country house, situated near the Emperor’s fort.