Author: Henryk Sienkiewicz
Category: Nonfiction
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with fat humps and asgentle as ha'-ga (lambs). Otherwise Cook would not have employed us." "Do they jolt much?"
"Gentlemen, you can place a handful of kidney-beans on their backs andnot a grain will fall during the fullest speed."
"If one is to exaggerate, then exaggerate after the Arabian fashion,"said Pan Tarkowski, laughing.
"Or after the Sudanese," added Mr. Rawlinson.
In the meantime Idris and Gebhr continued to stand like two whitecolumns, gazing attentively at Stas and Nell. The moon illumined theirvery dark faces, and in its luster they looked as if cast of bronze.The whites of their eyes glittered greenishly from under the turbans.
"Good night to you," said Mr. Rawlinson.
"May Allah watch over you, effendi, in night and in day."
Saying this, they bowed and went away. They were accompanied by ahollow growl, similar to distant thunder, from Saba, whom the twoSudanese apparently did not please.
V
During the following days there were no excursions. Instead, onChristmas Eve, when the first star appeared in heaven, a little tree inMr. Rawlinson's tent, intended for Nell, was illuminated with hundredsof candles. To serve as a Christmas tree there had been taken an arborvitae, cut in one of the gardens in Medinet; nevertheless, among itsbranchlets Nell found a profusion of dainties and a splendid doll,which her father had brought from Cairo for her, and Stas, his muchdesired English short rifle. In addition he received from his fatherpackages containing various hunters' supplies, and a saddle forhorseback riding. Nell could not contain herself for joy, while Stas,although he thought that whoever owned a genuine short rifle ought topossess a corresponding dignity, could not restrain himself, andselecting the time when no one was about, walked around the tent on hishands. This knack, taught to him at the Port Said school, he possessedto a surprising degree and with it often amused Nell, who, besides,sincerely envied it in him.
Christmas Eve and the first day of the holidays were passed by thechildren partly in church services, partly in inspecting the gifts theyhad received, and in training Saba. The new friend appeared to possessintelligence beyond all expectations. On the very first day he learnedto give his paw, retrieve handkerchiefs, which, however, he would notsurrender without some resistance, and he understood that cleaningNell's face with his tongue was an act unworthy of a gentlemanly dog.Nell, holding her fingers at her little nose, gave him variousinstructions, while he, concurring with motions of his tail, gave herin this manner to understand that he heard with becoming attention andtook her lessons to heart. During their strolls over the sandy citysquare the fame of Saba in Medinet grew with each hour and, even as allfame, began to have its disagreeable side, for it drew a whole swarm ofArabian children. In the beginning they kept at a distance; afterwards,however, emboldened by the gentleness of the "monster," they approachedmore and more closely, and in the end sat around the tent so that noone could move about with any freedom. Besides, as every Arabian childsucks sugar-cane from morning to night, the children always attractafter them legions of flies, which besides being loathsome are noxious,for they spread the Egyptian infection of inflammation of the eyes. Forthis reason the servants attempted to disperse the children, but Nellstood in their defense and, what is more, distributed among theyoungest "helou," that is, sweetmeats, which gained for her their greatlove but also increased their number.
After three days the joint excursions began; partly on the narrow-gaugerailways of which the English had built quite a number in Medinetel-Fayum, partly on donkeys, and sometimes on camels. It appeared thatin the praises bestowed on those animals by Idris there was indeed agreat deal of exaggeration, for not merely kidney-beans but even peoplecould not easily keep on the saddles; but there was also some truth.The camels in reality belonged to the variety known as "hegin," thatis, for carrying passengers, and were fed with good durra (the local orSyrian maize) so that the humps were fat and they appeared so willingto speed that it was necessary to check them. The Sudanese, Idris andGebhr, gained, notwithstanding the wild glitter of their eyes, theconfidence and hearts of the company, and this through their greatwillingness to serve and their extraordinary care over Nell. Gebhralways had a cruel and a trifle bestial expression of face, but Idris,quickly perceiving that that little personage was the eye in the headof the whole company, declared at every opportunity that he cared morefor her than for his own soul. Mr. Rawlinson conjectured indeed, that,through Nell, Idris wanted to reach his pocket, but believing at thesame time that there was not in the world a person who could not butlove his only child, he was grateful to him and did not stint himselfin giving "bakshish."
In the course of five days the party visited the near by ruins of theancient city of Crocodilopolis, where at one time the Egyptiansworshipped a deity called Sobk, which had a human form with the head ofa crocodile. Afterwards an excursion was made to the Hanar pyramids andthe remains of the Labyrinth. The longest trip was on camel-back toLake Karun. Its northern shore was a stark desert, on which there wereruins of former Egyptian cities, but no trace of life. On the otherhand, on the southern shore stretched a fertile country, magnificent,with shores overgrown by heather and reeds and teeming with pelicans,flamingoes, herons, wild geese, and ducks. Only here did Stas find anopportunity for displaying his marksmanship. The shooting from a commonrifle as well as from the short rifle was so extraordinary that afterevery shot could be heard the astonished smacking of the lips of Idrisand the Arabian rowers, and the falling of the birds into the water wasaccompanied by exclamations of "Bismillah" and "Mashallah."
The Arabians assured them that on the opposite desert-shore were manywolves and hyenas, and that by tossing amid the sand dunes the carcassof a sheep one might get within shooting range. In consequence of theseassurances Pan Tarkowski and Stas passed two nights on the desert nearthe ruins of Dima. But the first sheep was stolen by Bedouins as soonas the hunters left it; while the second lured only a lame jackal,which Stas brought down. Further hunting had to be postponed as thetime had arrived for both engineers to inspect the works conducted atBahr Yusuf near El-Lahun, southeast from Medinet.
Mr. Rawlinson waited only for the arrival of Madame Olivier.Unfortunately, in place of her, came a letter from the physicianinforming them that the former erysipelas in the face had recurredafter the bite, and that the patient for a long time would be unable toleave Port Said. The situation actually became distressing. It wasimpossible to take with them the children, old Dinah, the tents, andall the servants, if only for the reason that the engineers were to beone day here, another there, and might receive requests to go as far asthe great canal of Ibrahimiyeh. In view of this, after a shortconsultation Mr. Rawlinson decided to leave Nell under the care of oldDinah and Stas, together with the Italian consular agent and the local"Mudir" (governor) with whom he had previously become acquainted. Hepromised also to Nell, who grieved to part from her father, that fromall the nearer localities he would with Pan Tarkowski rush to Medinet,or if they found some noteworthy sight, would summon the children tothem.
"We shall take with us, Chamis," he said, "whom in a certain case weshall send for you. Let Dinah always keep Nell's company, but as Nelldoes with her whatever she pleases, do you, Stas, watch over both."
"You may be sure, sir," answered Stas, "that I shall watch over Nell,as over my own sister. She has Saba, and I a short rifle, so let anyone try to harm her--"
"It is not about that that I am concerned," said Mr. Rawlinson. "Sabaand the short rifle will certainly not be necessary for you. You willbe so good as to protect her from fatigue and at the same time takecare she does not catch cold. I have asked the consul in case she feelsunwell to summon a doctor from Cairo immediately. We shall send Chamishere for news as frequently as possible. The Mudir will also visit you.I expect, besides, that our absence will never be very long."
Pan Tarkowski also was not sparing in his admonitions to Stas. He toldhim that Nell did not require his defense as there was not in Medinetnor in the whole province of El-Fayum any savage peo
ple or wildanimals. To think of such things would be ridiculous and unworthy of aboy who had begun his fourteenth year. So he was to be solicitous andheedful only that they did not undertake anything on their own account,and more particularly excursions with Nell on camels, on which a ridewas fatiguing.
But Nell, hearing this, made such a sad face that Pan Tarkowski had toplacate her.
"Certainly," he said, stroking her hair, "you will ride camels, butwith us or towards us, if we send Chamis for you."
"But when alone are we not allowed to make an excursion, even thoughsuch a tiny bit of a one?" asked the girl.
And she began to show on her finger about how little an excursion shewas concerned. The parents in the end agreed that they could ride ondonkeys, not on camels, and not to ruins, where they