"So much beauty and splendor immediately moved the Tuareg and, especially, Clémentine's right-hand neighbor, El-Hadj-ben-Guemâma, brother of Sheik Otham and Sultan of Ahaggar. By the time the soup arrived, a bouillon of wild game, seasoned with Tokay, he was already much smitten. When they served the compote of fruits Martinique _à la liqueur de Mme. Amphoux_, he showed every indication of illimitable passion. The Cyprian wine _de la Commanderie_ made him quite sure of his sentiments. Hortense kicked my foot under the table. Gramont, intending to do the same to Anna, made a mistake and aroused the indignant protests of one of the Tuareg. I can safely say that when the time came to go to Mabille, we were enlightened as to the manner in which our visitors respected the prohibition decreed by the Prophet in respect to wine.
"At Mabille, while Clémentine, Hortense, Anna, Ludovic and the three Tuareg gave themselves over to the wildest gallops, Sheik Otham took me aside and confided to me, with visible emotion, a certain commission with which he had just been charged by his brother, Sheik Ahmed.
"The next day, very early, I reached Clémentine's house.
"'My dear,' I began, after having waked her, not without difficulty, 'listen to me. I want to talk to you seriously.'
"'How did you like that young Arabian gentleman who was so taken with you last night?'
"'Do you know that in his country, he is the sovereign prince and reigns over territories five or six times greater than those of our august master, the Emperor Napoleon III?'
"'He murmured something of that kind to me,' she said, becoming interested.
"'Well, would it please you to mount on a throne, like our august sovereign, the Empress Eugénie?'
"'His own brother, Sheik Otham, has charged me in his name to make this offer.'
"Clémentine, dumb with amazement, did not reply.
"'The decision rests with you. They must have your answer before midday. If it is 'yes,' we lunch together at Voisin's, and the bargain is made.'
"I saw that she had already made up her mind, but she thought it well to display a little sentiment.
"'And you, you!' she groaned. 'To leave you thus.... Never!'
"'No foolishness, dear child,' I said gently. 'You don't know perhaps that I am ruined. Yes, completely: I don't even know how I am going to pay for your complexion cream!'