"what do you know?……" "I know what I heard at the port..." "I heard that the boat came looking for... to take Adiyar away?" "Yes...to Tunisia, where he will be tried..." "To be convicted?" "Condemned." "Allah will not spare it, Soal! ... No! Allah will not spare it!" "Quiet..." Soar said excitedly, and pricked up his ears, as if he noticed footsteps on the sand. Instead of getting up, he crawled towards the entrance of an abandoned hermit's tomb where the aforementioned conversation was taking place.It was still bright, and the sun had not yet set on the sand dunes on the shore side of Xiaoshazhou Bay.In early March, at latitude 34 in the northern hemisphere, dusk is not long.The gorgeous sun is not close to the horizon because of its oblique setting, it seems that it is going to fall vertically, just like an object governed by the laws of gravity.

Soal paused, then took a few steps across the sun-baked threshold.His eyes scanned the surrounding plains. Looking north, there is an oasis under the lush mountain peaks, forming a circular area one and a half kilometers away.To the south, there is an endless golden sandy beach, trimmed with white water foam stirred up by the swell of the high tide.To the west, mounds of sand dunes loomed in the sky.To the east, this expanse of sea forms the Gulf of Gabes and bathes the Tunisian coastline, which curves towards the waters of Tripoli. A gentle sea breeze from the west cools the day towards dusk.Soal, who couldn't hear anything, thought he could hear footsteps around this dilapidated white square of concrete blocks hidden behind an old palm tree, but he was wrong.No one was on any side of the concrete cube, including the beach side.He walked around the small building, but he didn't find anyone, and he didn't find any footprints in the sand, not even the footprints his mother had left for him at the entrance to the hermit's tomb.

Soar had only been out for a minute when Gemma appeared on the threshold, agitated at not seeing her son return.Soal then turned to the corner of the hermit's tomb and gestured to her to reassure her. Gemma is an African of Tuareg descent, over sixty years old, tall, strong, straight and full of vigor.Her blue eyes, like those of women of her race, shone proudly and passionately.Fair skin, yellowish against the ochre-colored forehead and cheeks.She was dressed in dark clothes, and a large woolen blanket (wool from sheep that live around or in the lower Tunisian lagoon).A wide hood was worn on her head, whose thick hair was just beginning to gray.

Gemma stood motionless on the field until the moment when her son returned to join her.She saw nothing suspicious in the vicinity, the silence broken only by the mournful bleating of the sheep and the chirping of sparrows from the Jared area, several pairs of which were flitting about at the end of the concrete block. Gemma and Soal went back to the hermit's tomb and waited, so that the night would keep them inconspicuous in Gabes Bay. The conversation continued: "Has the ship left the bay?" "Yes, mother, the ship rounded the Cape of Good Hope this morning, this is the USS Shands..."

"Will you be here tonight?" "Tonight... unless it stops at Sfax, which is likely to break down before Gabes, where your son, my brother, will be executed..." "Adiyar! . . . Adiar! . . . " murmured the old mother. So she was in great pain and trembled with anger. "My son...my son!" she cried again, "these Christians are going to kill him and I will never see him again...he will not be where he recruited the Tuaregs for holy war No... no... no! Allah will not forgive him." Then, as if the fit had exhausted her strength, Gemma knelt down in the narrow corner of the hall without saying a word.

Soar came back and remained on the threshold, leaning against the stiles, as motionless as a stone man, like one of the statues that sometimes adorns the entrance of a tomb.Not a single disturbing sound could pull him out of his frozen state.The shadows of the dunes stretched slowly eastward as the sun dipped on the opposite horizon.To the east of the small sandbar, the first cluster of stars shone brightly.A bright moon is like a thin disc just emerging from behind the far-sunset fog at the end of its first sector.A still and dark night is brewing, as a curtain of light mist is about to hide the stars.

A little after seven o'clock, Soal turned back to his mother and whispered to her: "It's time..." "Yes," replied Gemma, "it is time for Adiyar to escape from these Christians...he must come out of Gabes prison before the sun rises...it will be too late..." "Everything is ready, Mama," said Soal affirmatively, "our compatriots are waiting for us... Those from Gabes are ready to escape... Those from Jared will serve as Adiar's bodyguards , and they were still far away in the desert before dawn..." "I want to be with them," said Gemma, "because I can't leave my son..."

"And I will be with you," Soal added, "and I will neither leave my brother nor my mother!" Gemma pulled him closer to her and held him tightly in her arms.Then adjusted the hood of her blanket and stepped over the threshold. As the two of them walked in the direction of Gabes, Soal walked a few steps ahead of his mother.Instead of following the edge of the beach, they followed the seaweed berm that had been left on the beach by the last tide, and they followed the bottom of the dunes, hoping to remain undiscovered for a kilometer and a half.In the oasis, the trees are in patches, almost blending with the growing shadows, making them look blurry.Not a ray of light cuts through the night.In these windowless Arab houses, the light is only cast on the courtyard, and when night falls, no light can be seen outside.

Soon, however, a point of light appeared above the blurred outline of the city.Moreover, the light was quite strong, and it probably came from a high place in Gabes, probably from the minaret of a mosque or the citadel overlooking the city. Soar was not mistaken, pointing to the light and saying: "This castle..." he said. "Is that right there, Soar? . . . " "There they put him, mother!" The old woman stopped.It was as if the light had established some kind of connection between her son and her.It is safe to say that, if not from the dark cell where his son might have been imprisoned, the light at least came from the fortress where Adiyar had been brought.Gemma had not seen her son since the fall of the dreaded chief to the French soldiers, and would never see him again, unless tonight he escaped by fleeing the fate the court-martial had set for him.So she was nailed to this spot, and Soal had to repeat to her twice:

"Come here, mother, come here!" They walked slowly at the foot of the dunes, which spread in a circle to the oasis of Gabes, the most important concentration of towns and houses, which occupied the continental edge of the small sandbar.Soal walked toward what the soldiers called "Bad Guy City."This is a suburban settlement made up of wooden houses, and the residents inside are all market vendors, so it is worth giving this settlement this quite reasonable name.The town is not far from the mouth of the valley, where the stream winds and capriciously crosses the oasis in the shadow of the palm grove.There stood the New Fort, or new fortress, from which Adial could only be transferred to a Tunisian prison.

Adiyar's companions had made every preparation for his escape, and they hoped to snatch him from the fort this very night.They met in a cabin in Badass City, where they were waiting for Gemma and her son.However, they must be very cautious, and it is best not to run into any trouble when approaching the town. Besides, with what anxious eyes they watched the shore!What they were worried about was that after the cruiser arrived in the evening, they would deport the prisoners on this ship, before they could complete the escape operation.They tried their best to see if there were a few beams of white light appearing in Xiaoshazhou Bay, and they tried their best to hear the hissing of the steam engine and the piercing siren, which indicated that the ship was about to break down.No, only the lights of fishing boats bouncing off Tunisian waters, not a single whistle piercing the sky. It was not yet eight o'clock when Gemma and her son reached the bank of the dry river, ten minutes before their appointment. Just when the two men were about to board the right bank, a man hidden behind the cactus on the steep river bank half stood and said the name: "Is it Soar?" "Is that you, Ahmet?" "It's me... Where's your mother?" "She followed me." "We follow you," Gemma said. "Any news?" Soal asked. "No news..." Ahmet replied. "Is our companion there?" "They're waiting for you!" "Did no one inform the fortress?" "nobody." "Adiyar ready?" "Ready." "How did you see him?" "Through Harrick, he was set free this morning and is now with his companions..." "Let's go!" said the old woman. The three men climbed to the bank of the dry valley again. Their direction, then, prevented them from glimpsing through the thick foliage of the great, dim fortress.It's actually a large palm grove, this oasis in Gabes. Ahmet will not get lost, and walks steadily.First you should pass through Jayala, which occupies both sides of the Wadi.It was in this town, which had been fortified successively by the Carthaginians, then the Romans, the Byzantines, and then the Arabs, that there was the main market of Gabes.At this point, the residents would not be returning, and Gemma and her son could get into trouble if they weren't careful walking through the market.Indeed, in the Tunisian oasis, except for a few high-rise cafes, neither electric nor gas lamps are used on the streets, so these streets are immersed in thick darkness. Although Ahmet was very cautious, he kept telling Soar not to be too nervous.In Gabes it was not impossible for the prisoner's mother to be recognized, and there her presence might have caused double alarm around the fortress.The escape had been difficult, despite long preparations for the escape, and it was important that the sentries were not alert at all, so that Ahmet could better choose his way around the fort. Also, the heart of the oasis is still quite lively this evening.It's a Sunday coming to an end.The last day of the week is generally celebrated in all cities with garrisons, especially French ones—in Africa as in Europe.Soldiers had a permit to go out, and they gathered around the tables in the cafe and returned to the barracks very late.Natives also came to this lively place in groups, mainly in the merchant district with mixed Italians and Jews.The noise continued until an hour before nightfall. Gemma was likely—and this has just been said—to be recognized by the Gabes authorities.In fact, she had ventured around the fort more than once since her son's arrest.To be sure, it was a risk of losing her freedom, and quite possibly her life.People don't know her influence on Adiyar, this maternal influence, so strong in the Tuareg nation.Didn't it know that to push her to the point of no end of patience, to free a prisoner, or to revenge herself, even if a court-martial would have executed her, she would start a new uprising? ... Yes, people are probably afraid of something like this: all the tribes will rise up at her call and follow her on the road to jihad.The authorities tried their best to catch her, but it was in vain.It's no use plastering more and more copies of judgments across the country's lagoons and salt lakes.She is heartily protected by the masses, and Gemma has so far escaped all attempts to capture her son and mother! ... However, she still came to the center of this dangerous oasis.She wanted to join up with her companions who were then gathering in Gabes for the prison break.If Adiyar managed to evade the guards at last, if he managed to get over the walls of the fortress, her mother would join him on the road a kilometer away to the hermit's tomb, among the dense palm trees, to escape. The man will find the horses prepared in advance for his escape.It would be liberty regained, and he knew of several plans for a new uprising against French rule. The situation moves forward slowly.Among the crowds of French and Arabs who met now and then, no one could have guessed that Adyar's mother was wearing a white burqa.Besides, Ahmet did his best to remind them that the three of them were hiding in some dark corners behind a lonely hut under the shade of trees, and after a few passers-by had gone away, they were on the road again. Finally, they were within a few steps of their rendezvous when a Tuareg man who seemed to be waiting for them to pass rushed in front of them. The avenue, or rather the path, leading to the fortress, is now deserted, and after following this man for a few minutes, he climbs up again a narrow path leading to the simple thatch where Gemma and her companions arrived. Room. The man, who was walking on Ahmet's right, told Ahmet to stop and said: "Don't go any further..." "What's the matter, Olebe?..." Ahmet asked, a Tuareg from the same tribe he had just met. "Our companion is no longer in the hut." The old woman stopped, and asked Auber in an uneasy and angry voice: "Do the dogs Europeans notice?" she asked. "No, Gemma," replied Auber, "the guards of the fortress have no suspicions..." "Then why isn't our companion in the hut?..." Gemma asked again. "Because the soldiers who go out are allowed to beg for drinks in the hut, and we don't like to stay with them. There is a North African cavalry adjutant named Nicole there. He knows you, Gemma..." "Well," muttered Gemma, "he saw me there...in the village...just when my son fell into the hands of his captain...ah! the captain, sooner or later... ..." And it was like the roar of a beast that had broken free from the arms of this woman, the mother of the prisoner Adiyar! "Where shall we meet our companions?" Ahmet asked. "Come on," Oliver replied. He raised his head and got into a small palm forest in the direction of the fort. This small forest is deserted at this time, and it is only lively on the days when the Gabes Grand Bazaar is held.Therefore, when approaching the fortress, it is possible to meet no one, and it is impossible to enter the fortress from other places.From the fact that the garrison enjoys Sundays and allows soldiers to have their day off, it should not be concluded that the sentry posts have been abolished. When the rebel Adiyar was imprisoned in the fortress, when he was on the cruiser and had not yet been court-martialed, don't watch more carefully? ... So the detachment walked in the shade and came to the edge of the palm grove. On this site, 20 thatched huts are gathered, and a few lights shine through the narrow openings of these huts.This was within gun range of the meeting point. But as soon as Auber entered a winding side street, footsteps and voices forced him to stop. Twelve North African cavalry came to their side, singing and shouting, probably from a long drinking session in a nearby tavern. Ahmet was careful not to meet them, and he and Gemma stepped back to let them pass.Soar and Auber went into a dark place not far from a French-Arab school. There a well was dug, and above a wooden frame supported a winch, around which was wound a bucket rope. For a while all the people hid behind the well, and the stone well fence was quite high, completely blocking them. The cavalry detachment moved forward again, but stopped again, and one of the soldiers shouted: "Damn it! I'm thirsty!" "Drink, damn it! There's a well here," Sergeant Nicole answered him. "What? There's water... Sergeant Major?" Corporal Pistash also shouted. "Pray to Allah, may this water be turned into wine..." "Ah! I do believe that..." "Have you become a Muslim?" "No, Sergeant Major, no, besides, Allah forbids his followers to drink alcohol, and he never approves of casting such spells on infidels..." "That makes sense, Pistash," said the adjutant, and added: "Advance to the post!" But just as the soldiers followed him, he made them stop again. The two went up to the street again, and the adjutant recognized that one was the captain of the regiment and the other a lieutenant. "Stop!" he ordered before him to stretch out his hand to the man with the kijab on his head. "Hey!" said the captain, "this is the righteous Nicole!" "Captain Aldigon?" asked the adjutant in a tone of wonder. "It's me!" "We'll be in Tunisia soon," Lieutenant Viette added. "Awaiting departure for a reconnaissance with you, Nicole . . . " "Yes, my captain," replied the adjutant, "and I will follow you wherever you go..." "A deal...a deal!" said Captain Altigon. "And how about your old brother?" "Very well...I've taken care of him to keep his four legs from rusting..." "Well, Nicole! . . . Besides, how about 'Cutting Hearts'? . . . Still friends with old brothers?" "Always, my captain, I have no doubt that they are twin brothers." "That's strange, a dog and a horse..." The officer retorted with a smile, "Don't worry, Nicole, we won't leave them behind when we go." "Leave them, and they will surely die, my captain." At this time, a loud noise sounded from the sea. "What's that?" Lieutenant Viette asked. "It may be that the cruiser anchored in the harbor is firing..." "And it came to find the villain Adiyar..." the adjutant added. "It was a famous man you captured there, my captain..." "You could say we caught it together," added Aldigon. "Yeah... and 'Old Brother' and 'Heart Cut,'" the adjutant declared. Then the two officers returned to the road, and went uphill to the fort, while the adjutant and his men descended again to the Gabes lowlands.