The Compassionate Warrior by Elsa Marston

Author:Elsa Marston
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-937786-18-2
Publisher: World Wisdom
Published: 2013-04-30T16:00:00+00:00

A MOVE TO A BETTER PRISON

The French government tried to make the move sound attractive. After all, the chateau at Pau held a special place in French history and hearts. It was the birthplace of an important French king, Henry IV, who had tried to unite his country when it was torn by religious wars between Catholics and Protestants in the sixteenth century. Pau was in a beautifully scenic area, with a delightful climate. Everything would be far more agreeable than at Fort Lamalgue, Abd el-Kader was assured, and he would really be just a “temporary guest.”

The Emir knew very well, however, that the chateau would still be a prison. Worse, only his family and servants would stay with him at the chateau. The rest of the Algerians would be held elsewhere as political prisoners. Once more Abd el-Kader exploded in despair and fury. “Drag us through the streets, over stones, through brambles, till our bodies are in shreds! We will be an example to the whole world that all people everywhere may know what lies in store for those who trust you in the future!”6 In a calmer vein, the Emir emphasized that it was not “blood” that was important but loyalty and friendship; his people had sacrificed everything to stay with him. And at last the government relented. A total of seventy-seven Algerians were counted as “immediate family.”

On April 23, the Algerians set out for their next place of captivity, by ship, canal boat, and finally by coach over the foothills of the Pyrenees. What sort of a welcome did they find in the town of Pau?

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