Argosy, April 24, 1920

  THE Little Soko, or small market, is the heart the floor. I wondered, so far as my trance of Tangier, Morocco. Whenever you have would permit, where Steve was. I was saved nothing to do—which in Tangier means most

  from overthinking myself by his suddenly

  of the time—you go and sit at one of the

  looming up in the Soko and sitting down

  tables in front of the Cafe Espanola in the beside me.

  Little Soko.

  “Bill,” he exclaimed, “he’s the most

  If you have arrived in town only interesting character in Morocco!”

  recently, you are pop-eyed with interest and

  “Is he, indeed!” I remarked, not caring

  excitement; but if, like Steve Marsh and in the least who the most interesting person in myself, you have been in Tangier a month or question might be. I was used to Steve Marsh, two, you merely sip a glace of coffee and fall and I was also quite familiar with Morocco by into a trance. The whirligig and foolish this time, and no longer expected any one, Morocco world goes on around you, but you

  native or European, to talk or act like a sane, give it little attention.

  human being.

  I went and sat thus one morning.

  “Most interesting!” Steve went on,

  Gibilo, the young Moor with whom Steve and paying no attention to my indifference. “I was I lodged for the present—our finances being in never so entertained in my life! Half the night a very weak condition, and hotels out of the I sat listening spellbound to the eloquent and question—was still sleeping in our room, so elevating discourse of Mahjub— Mahjub, the far as I knew. Steve had not been seen since cave-dweller, the all-wise eater of mystic the previous evening. He had not come home herbs—”

  to the nice oriental rug on which he slept on

  “Steve,” I asked, this stuff being

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  enough to bring any self-respecting man out of me to partake of his meal, saying the pot

  a trance, “are you talking about a human contained some of the choicest herbs to be individual or a Moorish circus?”

  found in that region. He was much surprised

  “I am speaking,” he continued with

  when I informed him that my doctor has

  great enthusiasm, “of my new and respected strictly forbidden me herbs as being too rich friend, Mr. Mahjub al Larabi—the surname

  for my American stomach.

  meaning, as you know, the Beloved of Allah.

  “After the old gentleman had stuffed

  Mr. Mahjub is an ancient citizen of Morocco, himself with herbs, I led off with the remark and a true philosopher. He has seen much. He that I supposed he was the Moorish brand of has served under many great sultans, and hermit. He said no; he said he was not suffered much. In fact, he served one sultan so officially a hermit; rather, he was an exile—

  well that the royal and anointed one, in a fit of and then he told me the story of his life, as I wild gratitude, tipped him good and proper—

  have hinted.

  with his royal sword he cut off the tip of the

  “What most interested me was the last

  beloved of Allah’s nose, that the beloved part of it. He had been a henchman and graft-might always show in public a lasting mark of getter for our mutual friend, Mulai Hafid, the the royal favor and esteem. While my friend only living ex-sultan. When Mulai was

  is, therefore, not exactly what you would call deposed, all his crowd were bounced with

  a handsome man—”

  him, including Mahjub, the cave-dweller. At

  “For the love of Allah,” I put in, “cut

  that time, Mahjub had a nice, paying bazaar in out your friend’s mutilated biography and let Tangier, it seems, but the new Moorish

  us have some sense!”

  governor of Tangier sold him up, chased him Steve glared at me. “What a dull, away from here, and pinched his wives!

  prosaic mind you have, Bill!” he remarked,

  “Since then, deprived of home, wives

  and then resumed: “Astride my intelligent and fortune, poor old Mahjub has been living mule, I was returning home last evening from quietly in his cave, reciting the Koran, piously Cape Spartel. I had lost fifteen cents in a cursing the governor of Tangier, and eating poker game in the lighthouse, and naturally I rich and delicate herbs.

  was feeling downcast. I came by way of the

  “When Mr. Mahjub told me this, he

  donkey path over the mountain, and I was

  finished scouring the inside of his iron pot and half-way down the Tangier side when an old sighed deeply. He said he longed to have his Moorish gentleman rushed out at me from the bazaar again. He did not care so much about solitude and shrieked Arabic words at me—

  his wives—he had learned to do the

  words which might be translated: ‘Alms, for housekeeping himself—but he yearned to lie the love of Allah!’ In my best Spanish—which asleep in front of his shop again, in the mad the old gentleman evidently understood—I whirl and bustle of Tangier business life. The politely explained that I hadn’t any alms about dear old cuss completely won my sympathy. I me just then, and offered him a cigarette. He told him so, and let him know that I happened graciously accepted the gift, and asked me if I to be a friend of the Governor of Tangier, and would come in awhile and rest up in his

  that I would see if I couldn’t do something for humble abode.

  him.

  “The humble abode was a quaint and

  “The old gentleman toppled right over

  simple cave, lighted at the moment by the

  and wept. He grabbed the iron pot and placed charcoal fire over which the old gentleman’s it in my hands as a token of his gratitude. It supper was boiling in an iron pot. He invited was most affecting. I handed back the pot,

  The Beloved of Allah

  3

  and, as delicately as I could, I explained that I old gentleman who eats herbs cut of an iron couldn’t think of depriving him of his cooking pot?”

  utensils—that it would be a real pleasure to

  “Well,” Steve replied slowly, and still

  help him without any thought of reward.

  trying to look like a man with a mission, “I

  “He said that never before had he met

  will admit that there is some sense in your a man like me. He handed me a pipe of keef somewhat coarse way of putting things. I shall and begged me to tell him the story of my life.

  further admit that before leaving, I extracted a I proceeded to do so, and, the stuff I was guarantee from Mr. Mahjab—that should I

  smoking being pretty strong, I believe I succeed in getting him back in business again, constructed quite a romantic and adventurous he will turn, over to me a fair percentage of past for myself. Concluding, I chanced to his profits for a period of one year.

  mention that I, too, had once almost met my

  “He would not tell me what his

  death at the hands of Mulai Hafid. The old business was—you never can find out just

  gentleman looked at me with a sudden light of exactly what some of these bazaar keepers are understanding in his eyes.

  selling—but he assured me his line is most

  “‘My dear young friend!’ he cried. profitable. I feel certain it is contraband—

  ‘Now it is I see why you ask nothing for the smuggling, and that is why I naturally did not great favor you offer to do—you, too, are a press him for further information, as he might seeker for revenge! How well it is we meet—I suspect my motives. Now, come on up to the show you how to make the great rage in Mulai Kasbah—I think we are on the track of

  Hafid!’

  something that will relieve the financial

  “Well, with many pledges of undying

  stringency!”

  friendship, I finally remuled and took my

  We left the cafe and, stepping into the

  departure in the breaking dawn, having gutter, wound and twisted our way through assured Mahjub of my speedy return with a

  Tangier’s leading alleyways—Tangier would

  free pardon, properly signed by his nobs, the not know what to do with a street—and

  gov. Now, as I know you are consumed with

  climbed the hill to the Kasbah, or government an eager desire to have a part in this good and buildings.

  pious deed, Bill, will you accompany me to We were fortunate enough to find the

  the Kasbah and help me put it over?”

  governor in his office. His excellency was I looked at Steve suspiciously. You

  squatting on the floor and playing a game of never can tell—Morocco has a way of doing

  chess with his secretary. He received us with things suddenly to a man’s mind. If ever a liar such gracious smiles and kind words that you looked like a man with a holy mission, it was would imagine we were his dearest friends on Steve. I might even say his expression was earth. As a matter of fact, however, his

  beautiful to behold.

  excellency was constantly sitting up half the

  “Steve,” I said, “I have listened to the

  night, figuring out how best he might murder story-tellers up in the grand Soko, and in the us and get away with it.

  Moorish cafe, with the tom-toms and gimbri In Tangier there is always more
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  going a mile a minute, but they’ve got nothing plotting, grafting, and subtle double-crossing on you! However, much as I like romance and going on than in all the big and little capitals sentiment, I should like to know, from the of Europe put together. We happened to be on viewpoint of the accounting department, just to some of his excellency’s pet graft, and he why you stay out ail night in a cave, playing was, always afraid that we ought whisper

  angel and swapping keef-inspired lies with an something the ear of the American consul.

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  Steve related the sad story of Mr. good for his simple soul to know too much.”

  Manjub with fine eloquence, carefully

  Accordingly, we said nothing at all

  suppressing the percentage angle, and playing about it to our host, and we were greatly

  up the moral and atomistic side. His relieved to hear that he was going to the excellency listened with a benevolent and village of Alcazar for a day, to see a new Holy childlike smile; but I could tell from his eyes Man who had bobbed up there.

  that he was positively hurting his brains in the In the late afternoon Steve and I went

  effort to discover what was back of Steve’s to the Big Market to get our mules. To my

  story.

  surprise, Steve hired six instead of three.

  But he couldn’t make the idea at all,

  “Why the caravan?” I asked. “Are we

  for we had learned to play the game the going to bring back the cave and the pot and Moorish way—always smile and murmur the quarry as well as the Beloved of Allah?”

  gentle words while you are selecting the

  “Mind your own business!” Steve

  precise spot in which to stick the knife.

  retorted. “The three extra mules are for Mr.

  “Excellency,” Steve concluded, with Mabjub’s store fixtures—he has them stowed tears in his eyes, “it is indeed a noble thing we away somewhere, and asked me to bring extra ask you to do! Allah will bless yon and you mules to carry them. As no bazaar in Tangier will prosper! Poor old Mahjub will love yon, is larger than a postage stamp, I guess three excellency, and every day he will go to the big will do the job.”

  mosque and call the prophet to witness how The evening was falling as we wound

  great is the Governor of Tangier!”

  down into the quarry. It was just as Steve had

  “Dear amigo Americano,” the described it. The cave was also there up-stage, governor replied, with his benevolent smile, “I and the iron pot was in the limelight. The cannot find words to tell you how much I

  Beloved of Allah, however, was not to be

  thank yon for bringing this woeful affair to my seen.

  mind. Poor Mahjub—I had forgotten him,

  “I suppose,” Steve mused, as he leaned

  alas! I cannot tell you now what agony I feel against his mule, “the gentle old exile is out when I think of what injustice has been done herbing. What a thing it must be to have to him! He shall come back to Tangier at once—

  pull up one’s dinner by the roots!”

  and may Allah protect him, and you, and your The supposition was evidently correct,

  friend!”

  for in a little while I saw a gaunt and gray-He turned to his secretary. bearded old Moor come creeping down

  “Mohammed al Kali,” he directed, “make toward us, a sack over his shoulder. Steve writings like this: Mahjub al Larabi, lately introduced me, and Mr. Mahjub prostrated

  compelled to be in hateful and accursed himself as he had done to Steve.

  service of Mulai Hafid, is by this pardon

  “And now,” said Steve, when all the

  invited to return freely to Tangier in care of preliminaries were over, “let’s get started! Mr.

  our most distinguished and cherished Mahjub, where are the fixtures? You know—

  American friends and visitors. Make special the counter boards, the cash register, the fake note in public book that this is done by the scales, and the burglar-proof safe?”

  governor out of goodness and soft kindness of The old gentleman’s reply caused me

  his heart.”

  much disquietude. He proceeded to explain

  “Now,” said Steve, with the pardon in

  that when he had been sold up and run out of his pocket as we walked back to the Soko,

  Tangier, a life-long enemy of his, a rival for

  “we must not say anything to Gibilo—it is not the royal favor, had stolen the goods in

  The Beloved of Allah

  5

  question, and that at the present time they on.

  were reposing in an outhouse in the grounds

  “Mr. Mahjub,” he said, “I’m afraid

  of Mulai Hafid’s villa, just outside of Tangier.

  some one is wise—I don’t seem to see any

  The ex-sultan was not allowed any guards

  valuable goods lying around loose in here.”

  about his place, the old fellow explained, and, But evidently Mr. Mahjub did see what

  as it was now dark—we could regain his we had come for. Muttering something to precious goods without any trouble.

  himself, eagerly he pointed to half a dozen I did not like this, but Steve seemed

  ordinary potato sacks on the floor and assured tickled to death. It is an annoying way Steve us that these were what we wanted. They

  has—whenever things take a fool turn, instead seemed to me to be merely stuffed full of

  of pulling out like any ordinary human being, straw, and I was about to enter a vigorous he has to run right up in front and lead the protest, when Steve suddenly gripped my arm circus.

  and whispered:

  “Bill,” he cried, “this thing gets better

  “He’s right! Don’t you see? It’s as I

  every minute! Let me help you board the

  thought—he’s a little old smuggler guy, and mule, Mr. Mahjub. Off for the ex-sultan’s

  these bags are full of stolen or counterfeit back yard!”

  customs stamps and such things! The consul I was disgusted, but I silently joined

  was telling me that they caught a chap in the the party. I went along merely to protect Steve Soko a couple of months ago with just such if I could—I did not want his relatives to bags in his cellar. But they’ll be sale in that blame me for his sudden taking off.

  room of ours—let’s get busy!”

  Our caravan wended its way down the

  As the old gentleman had already

  mountain. The old gentleman had insisted on carried two of the sacks out to the wall

  bringing his iron pot, and we had it tied to his himself, we grabbed the remainder and

  saddle. Making a detour, at length we brought followed. I may say that I followed most

  up in the rear of the villa in which Mulai lived quickly— I didn’t care just then whether the in ex-royal seclusion.

  fool bags contained thousand-dollar bills or Leaving the mules a little distance merely old nails. The whole program was away, we crept up to the garden wall to a spot getting on my nerves. We tied the bags

  which Mr. Mahjub said was near the outhouse together, two and two, and, slinging them

  which contained his belongings.

  across the three extra mules, we started for The wall was not very high, but the top

  town.

  was covered with broken glass. Mr. Mahjub, Without consulting my personal

  however, was right on the job. From the folds convenience at all, Steve had decided that Mr.

  of his burnoose he drew forth an implement Mahjub, until such time as he found suitable which proved to be some near relative of a quarters and was properly launched in

  pickax. With this Steve cleared a space and business, should reside with us in our room.

  climbed up.

  Now, Gibilo was fairly civilized and quite all A few minutes later, nobody seeming

  right; but I must here state that I did not relish to be around or interested in our proceedings, the prospect of living in family with Mr.

 

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