Author: Henryk Sienkiewicz
Category: Nonfiction
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a case of urgency, Chamis might be able, for Stas had several timesopened and closed his weapon before him, but he was sorry for the dogof whom he was fond, having taken care of him before the arrival of thechildren at Medinet. He knew perfectly that the Sudanese had no ideahow to handle a weapon of the latest model and would be at a loss whatto do with it.
"If you don't know how," he said, with a crafty smile, "that little'nouzrani' (Christian) could kill the dog, but that rifle can fireseveral times in succession; so I do not advise you to put it in hishands."
"God forbid!" replied Idris; "he would shoot us like quails."
"We have knives," observed Gebhr.
"Try it, but remember that you have a throat which the dog will pull topieces before you stab him."
"Then what is to be done?"
Chamis shrugged his shoulder.
"Why do you want to kill the dog? If you should afterwards bury him inthe sand, the hyenas will dig him out; the pursuers will find his bonesand will know that we did not cross the Nile but made off in thisdirection. Let him follow us. As often as the Bedouins go for water andwe hide in the passes, you may be sure that the dog will stay with thechildren. Allah! It is better that he came now, for otherwise he wouldlead the pursuing party on our tracks as far as Berber. You do not needto feed him, for if our leavings are not sufficient it will not bedifficult for him to get a hyena or jackal. Leave him in peace, I tellyou, and do not lose any time in idle talk."
"Perhaps you are right," said Idris.
"If I am right, then I will give him water, so that he shall not run tothe Nile and show himself in the villages."
In this manner was decided the fate of Saba who, having somewhat restedhimself and eaten his fill, in the twinkling of an eye lapped up a bowlof water and started with renewed strength after the caravan.
They now rode on high, level ground, on which the wind wrinkled thesand and from which could be seen on both sides the immense expanse ofthe desert. Heaven assumed the tint of a pearl shell. Light littleclouds gathered in the east and changed like opals, after which theysuddenly became dyed with gold. One ray darted, afterwards another, andthe sun--as is usual in southern countries, in which there are scarcelyany twilight and dawn--did not ascend, but burst from behind the cloudslike a pillar of fire and flooded the horizon with a bright light. Itenlivened heaven, it enlivened the earth, and the immeasurable sandyexpanse was unveiled to the eyes of men.
"We must hasten," said Idris, "for here we can be seen from a distance."
Accordingly the rested and satiated camels sped on with the celerity ofgazelles. Saba remained behind, but there was no fear that he would getlost and not appear at the first short halt for refreshments. Thedromedary on which Idris rode with Stas ran close to the one on whichNell was mounted, so that the children could easily converse with eachother. The seat which the Sudanese had made appeared splendid and thelittle girl really looked like a bird in a nest. She could not fall,even sleeping, and the ride fatigued her far less than during thenight. The bright daylight gave courage to both children. In Stas'heart the hope entered that since Saba had overtaken them, the pursuersmight do the same. This hope he at once shared with Nell, who smiled athim for the first time since their abduction.
"When will they overtake us?" she asked in French in order that Idrisshould not understand them.
"I do not know. It may be to-day; perhaps to-morrow; perhaps after twoor three days."
"But we will not ride back on camels?"
"No. We will ride only as far as the Nile, and afterwards go by way ofthe Nile to El-Wasta."
"That is good! oh, good!"
Poor Nell, who had previously loved these rides, had evidently now hadenough of them.
"By way of the Nile--to El-Wasta and to papa!" she began to repeat in asleepy voice.
As at the previous stop she did not enjoy a full sound sleep, she nowfell into that deep sleep which after fatigue comes towards morning. Inthe meantime the Bedouins drove the camels without a rest and Stasobserved that they were making their way towards the interior of thedesert.
So, desiring to shake Idris' confidence that he would be able to eludethe pursuit, and at the same time to show him that he himself reliedupon it as a dead certainty, he said:
"You are driving away from the Nile and from Bahr Yusuf, but that won'thelp you, for of course they will not seek you on the banks wherevillages lie side by side, but in the interior of the desert."
And Idris asked:
"How do you know that we are driving away from the Nile, since thebanks cannot be seen from here?"
"Because the sun, which is in the eastern part of heaven, is warmingour backs; that means we have turned to the west."
"You are a wise boy," said Idris with esteem.
After a while he added:
"But the pursuing party will not overtake us nor will you escape."
"No," answered Stas, "I shall not escape--unless with her."
And he pointed to the sleeping girl.
Until noon they sped almost without pausing for breath, but when thesun rose high in the sky and began to scorch, the camels, which bynature perspire but little, were covered with sweat, and their paceslackened considerably. The caravan again was surrounded by rocks anddunes. The ravines, which during the rainy season are changed intochannels of streams, or so-called "khors," came to view more and morefrequently. The Bedouins finally halted in one of them which wasentirely concealed amid the rocks. But they had barely dismounted fromthe camels when they raised a cry and dashed ahead, bending over everylittle while and throwing stones ahead of them. Stas, who had not yetalighted from the saddle, beheld a strange sight. From among the drybushes overgrowing the bed of the "khor," a big snake emerged and,gliding sinuously with the rapidity of lightning among the fragments ofrocks, escaped to some hiding-place known to itself. The Bedouinschased it furiously and Gebhr rushed to their aid with a knife. Butowing to the unevenness of the ground it was difficult either to hitthe snake with a stone or to pin it with a knife. Soon all threereturned with terror visible on their faces.
And the cries, customary with Arabs, resounded:
"Allah!"
"Bismillah!"
"Mashallah!"
Afterwards both Sudanese began to look with a kind of strange and, atthe same time, searching and inquiring gaze at Stas who could notunderstand what was the matter.
In the meantime Nell also dismounted from her camel, and though she wasless tired than during the night, Stas spread for her a saddle-cloth inthe shade on a level spot and told her to lie down, in order, as hesaid, that she might straighten out her little feet. The Arabs preparedtheir noon meal, which consisted of biscuits and dates, together with agulp of water. The camels were not watered for they had drank duringthe night. The faces of Idris, Gebhr and the Bedouins were stilldejected, and the stop was made in silence. Finally Idris called Stasaside, and began to question him with a countenance at once mysteriousand perturbed.
"Did you see the snake?"
"I did."
"Did you conjure it to appear before us?"
"No."
"Some ill-luck awaits us as those fools did not succeed in killing it."
"The gallows awaits you."
"Be silent! Is your father a sorcerer?"
"He is," answered Stas without any hesitation, for he understood in amoment that those savage and superstitious men regarded the appearanceof a reptile as an evil omen and an announcement that the flight wouldnot succeed.
"So then your father sent it to us," answered Idris, "but he ought tounderstand that we can avenge ourselves for his charms upon you."
"You will not do anything to me as the sons of Fatma would have tosuffer for any injury to me."
"And you already understand this? But remember that if it was not forme, your blood would have flowed under Gebhr's courbash--yours and thatlittle 'bint's' also."
"I therefore shall intercede for you only; but Gebhr shall swing on therope."
At this Idris gaz
ed at him for a while as if with astonishment and said:
"Our lives are not yet in your hands and you already talk to us as ourlord--"
After a while he added:
"You are a strange 'uled' (boy), and such a one I have not yet seen.Thus far I have been kind to you, but take heed and do not threaten."
"God punishes treachery," answered Stas.
It was apparent, however, that the assurance with which the boy spokein connection with the evil omen in the form of a snake which succeededin escaping, disquieted Idris in a high degree. Having already mountedthe camel he repeated several times: "Yes, I was kind to you," as if inany event he wished to impress this upon Stas' memory, and afterwardshe began to finger