a ride across palestine-第3部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


anger。　　To　them　the　occasion　was　very　holy。　　They　were　stretching
out　their　hands　in　every　direction；　with　long　tapers；　in　order　that
they　might　obtain　a　spark　of　the　sacred　fire　which　was　burning　on
one　of　the　altars。　　As　we　made　our　way　out　we　passed　many　who；　with
dumb　motions；　begged　us　to　assist　them　in　their　object。　　And　we　did
assist　them；　getting　lights　for　their　tapers；　handing　them　to　and
fro；　and　using　the　authority　with　which　we　seemed　to　be　invested。
But　Smith；　I　observed；　was　much　more　courteous　in　this　way　to　the
women　than　to　the　men；　as　I　did　not　forget　to　remind　him　when　we
were　afterwards　on　our　road　together。

Remounting　our　horses　we　rode　slowly　up　the　winding　ascent　of　the
Mount　of　Olives；　turning　round　at　the　brow　of　the　hill　to　look　back
over　Jerusalem。　　Sometimes　I　think　that　of　all　spots　in　the　world
this　one　should　be　the　spot　most　cherished　in　the　memory　of
Christians。　　It　was　there　that　He　stood　when　He　wept　over　the　city。
So　much　we　do　know；　though　we　are　ignorant；　and　ever　shall　be　so；　of
the　site　of　His　cross　and　of　the　tomb。　　And　then　we　descended　on　the
eastern　side　of　the　hill；　passing　through　Bethany；　the　town　of
Lazarus　and　his　sisters；　and　turned　our　faces　steadily　towards　the
mountains　of　Moab。

Hitherto　we　had　met　no　Bedouins；　and　I　interrogated　my　dragoman
about　them　more　than　once；　but　he　always　told　me　that　it　did　not
signify；　we　should　meet　them；　he　said；　before　any　danger　could
arise。　　〃As　for　danger；〃　said　I；　〃I　think　more　of　this　than　I　do　of
the　Arabs；〃　and　I　put　my　hand　on　my　revolver。　　〃But　as　they　agreed
to　be　here；　here　they　ought　to　be。　　Don't　you　carry　a　revolver；
Smith？〃

Smith　said　that　he　never　had　done　so；　but　that　he　would　take　the
charge　of　mine　if　I　liked。　　To　this；　however；　I　demurred。　　〃I　never
part　with　my　pistol　to　any　one；〃　I　said；　rather　drily。　　But　he
explained　that　he　only　intended　to　signify　that　if　there　were　danger
to　be　encountered；　he　would　be　glad　to　encounter　it；　and　I　fully
believed　him。　　〃We　shan't　have　much　fighting；〃　I　replied；　〃but　if
there　be　any；　the　tool　will　come　readiest　to　the　hand　of　its　master。
But　if　you　mean　to　remain　here　long　I　would　advise　you　to　get　one。
These　Orientals　are　a　people　with　whom　appearances　go　a　long　way；
and；　as　a　rule；　fear　and　respect　mean　the　same　thing　with　them。　　A
pistol　hanging　over　your　loins　is　no　great　trouble　to　you；　and　looks
as　though　you　could　bite。　　Many　a　dog　goes　through　the　world　well　by
merely　showing　his　teeth。〃

And　then　my　companion　began　to　talk　of　himself。　　〃He　did　not；〃　he
said；　〃mean　to　remain　in　Syria　very　long。〃

〃Nor　I　either；〃　said　I。　　〃I　have　done　with　this　part　of　the　world
for　the　present；　and　shall　take　the　next　steamer　from　Jaffa　for
Alexandria。　　I　shall　only　have　one　night　in　Jerusalem　on　my　return。〃

After　this　he　remained　silent　for　a　few　moments　and　then　declared
that　that　also　had　been　his　intention。　　He　was　almost　ashamed　to　say
so；　however；　because　it　looked　as　though　he　had　resolved　to　hook
himself　on　to　me。　　So　he　answered；　expressing　almost　regret　at　the
circumstance。

〃Don't　let　that　trouble　you；〃　said　I；　〃I　shall　be　delighted　to　have
your　company。　　When　you　know　me　better；　as　I　hope　you　will　do；　you
will　find　that　if　such　were　not　the　case　I　should　tell　you　so　as
frankly。　　I　shall　remain　in　Cairo　some　little　time；　so　that　beyond
our　arrival　in　Egypt；　I　can　answer　for　nothing。〃

He　said　that　he　expected　letters　at　Alexandria　which　would　govern
his　future　movements。　　I　thought　he　seemed　sad　as　he　said　so；　and
imagined；　from　his　manner；　that　he　did　not　expect　very　happy
tidings。　　Indeed　I　had　made　up　my　mind　that　he　was　by　no　means　free
from　care　or　sorrow。　　He　had　not　the　air　of　a　man　who　could　say　of
himself　that　he　was　〃totus　teres　atque　rotundus。〃　　But　I　had　no　wish
to　inquire；　and　the　matter　would　have　dropped　had　he　not　himself
added〃I　fear　that　I　shall　meet　acquaintances　in　Egypt　whom　it　will
give　me　no　pleasure　to　see。〃

〃Then；〃　said　I；　〃if　I　were　you；　I　would　go　to　Constantinople
instead；indeed；　anywhere　rather　than　fall　among　friends　who　are
not　friendly。　　And　the　nearer　the　friend　is；　the　more　one　feels　that
sort　of　thing。　　To　my　way　of　thinking；　there　is　nothing　on　earth　so
pleasant　as　a　pleasant　wife；　but　then；　what　is　there　so　damnable　as
one　that　is　unpleasant？〃

〃Are　you　a　married　man？〃　he　inquired。　　All　his　questions　were　put　in
a　low　tone　of　voice　which　seemed　to　give　to　them　an　air　of　special
interest；　and　made　one　almost　feel　that　they　were　asked　with　some
special　view　to　one's　individual　welfare。　　Now　the　fact　is；　that　I
am　a　married　man　with　a　family；　but　I　am　not　much　given　to　talk　to
strangers　about　my　domestic　concerns；　and；　therefore；　though　I　had
no　particular　object　in　view；　I　denied　my　obligations　in　this
respect。　　〃No；〃　said　I；　〃I　have　not　come　to　that　promotion　yet。　　I
am　too　frequently　on　the　move　to　write　myself　down　as
Paterfamilias。〃

〃Then　you　know　nothing　about　that　pleasantness　of　which　you　spoke
just　now？〃

〃Nor　of　the　unpleasantness；　thank　God；　my　personal　experiences　are
all　to　come；as　also　are　yours；　I　presume？〃

It　was　possible　that　he　had　hampered　himself　with　some　woman；　and
that　she　was　to　meet　him　at　Alexandria。　　Poor　fellow！　thought　I。
But　his　unhappiness　was　not　of　that　kind。　　〃No；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　not
married；　I　am　all　alone　in　the　world。〃

〃Then　I　certainly　would　not　allow　myself　to　be　troubled　by
unpleasant　acquaintances。〃

It　was　now　four　hours　since　we　had　left　Jerusalem；　and　we　had
arrived　at　the　place　at　which　it　was　proposed　that　we　should
breakfast。　　There　was　a　large　well　there；　and　shade　afforded　by　a
rock　under　which　the　water　sprung；　and　the　Arabs　had　constructed　a
tank　out　of　which　the　horses　could　drink；　so　that　the　place　was
ordinarily　known　as　the　first　stage　out　of　Jerusalem。

Smith　had　said　not　a　word　about　his　saddle；　or　complained　in　any　way
of　discomfort；　so　that　I　had　in　truth　forgotten　the　subject。　　Other
matters　had　continually　presented　themselves；　and　I　had　never　even
asked　him　how　he　had　fared。　　I　now　jumped　from　my　horse；　but　I
perceived　at　once　that　he　was　unable　to　do　so。　　He　smiled　faintly；
as　his　eye　caught　mine；　but　I　knew　that　he　wanted　assistance。　　〃Ah；〃
said　I；　〃that　confounded　Turkish　saddle　has　already　galled　your
skin。　　I　see　how　it　is；　I　shall　have　to　doctor　you　with　a　little
brandy；externally　applied；　my　friend。〃　　But　I　lent　him　my
shoulder；　and　with　that　assistance　he　got　down；　very　gently　and
slowly。

We　ate　our　breakfast　with　a　good　will；　bread　and　cold　fowl　and
brandy…and…water；　with　a　hard…boiled　egg　by　way　of　a　final　delicacy；
and　then　I　began　to　bargain　with　Joseph　for　the　loan　of　his　English
saddle。　　I　saw　that　Smith　could　not　get　through　the　journey　with
that　monstrous　Turkish　affair；　and　that　he　would　go　on　without
complaining　till　he　fainted　or　came　to　some　other　signal　grief。　　But
the　Frenchman；　seeing　the　plight　in　which　we　were；　was　disposed　to
drive　a　very　hard　bargain。　　He　wanted　forty　shillings；　the　price　of
a　pair　of　live　Bedouins；　for　the　accommodation；　and　declared　that；
even　then；　he　should　make　the　sacrifice　only　out　of　consideration　to
me。

〃Very　well；〃　said　I。　　〃I'm　tolerably　tough　myself；　and　I'll　change
with　the　gentleman。　　The　chances　are　that　I　shall　not　be　in　a　very
liberal　humour　when　I　reach　Jaffa　with　stiff　limbs　and　a　sore　skin。
I　have　a　very　good　memory；　Joseph。〃

〃I'll　take　thirty　shillings；　Mr。　Jones；　though　I　shall　have　to　groan
all　the　way　like　a　condemned　devil。〃

I　struck　a　bargain　with　him　at　last　for　five…and…twenty；　and　set　him
to　work　to　make　the　necessary　change　on　the　horses。　　〃It　will　be
just　the　same　thing　to　him；〃　I　said　to　Smith。　　〃I　find　that　he　is　as
much　used　to　one　as　to　the　other。〃

〃But　how　much　money　are　you　to　pay　him？〃　he　asked。　　〃Oh；　nothing；〃　I
replied。　　〃Give　him　a　few　piastres　when　you　part　with　him　at　Jaffa。〃
I　do　not　know　why　I　should　have　felt　thus　inclined　to　pay　money　out
of　my　pocket　for　this　Smith；a　man　whom　I　had　only　seen　for　the
first　time　on　the　preceding　evening；　and　whose　temperament　was　so
essentially　different　from　my　own；　but　so　I　did。　　I　would　have　done
almost　anything　in　reason　for　his　comfort；　and　yet　he　was　a
melancholy　fellow；　with　good　inward　pluck　as　I　believed；　but　without
that　outward　show　of　dash　and　hardihood　which　I　confess　I　love　to
see。　　〃Pray　tell　him　that　I'll　pay　him　for　it；〃　said　he。　　〃We'll
make　that　all　right；〃　I　answered；　and　then　we　remounted；not
without　some　difficulty　on　his　part。　　〃You　should　have　let　me　rub　in
that　brandy；〃　I　said。　　〃You　can't　conceive　how　efficaciously　I　would
have　done　it。〃　　But　he　made　me　no　answer。

At　noon　we　met　a　caravan　of　pilgrims　coming　up　from　Jordan。　　There
might　be　some　three　or　four　hundred；　but　the　number　seemed　to　be
treble　that；　from　the　loose　and　straggling　line　in　which　they
journeyed。　　It　was　a　very　singular　sight；　as　they　moved　slowly　along
the　narrow　path　through　the　sand；　coming　out　of　a　defile　among　the
hills；　which　was　perhaps　a　quarter　of　a　mile　in　front　of　us；　passing
us　as　we　stood　still　by　the　wayside；　and　then　winding　again　out　of
sight　on　the　track　over　which　we　had　come。　　Some　rode　on　camels；a
whole　family；　in　many　cases；　being　perched　on　the　same　animal。　　I
observed　a　very　old　man　and　a　very　old　woman　slung　in　panniers　over
a　camel's　back；not　such　panniers　as　might　be　befitting　such　a
purpose；　but　square　baskets；　so　that　the　heads　and　heels　of　each　of
the　old　couple　hung　out　of　the　rear　and　front。　　〃Surely　the　journey
will　be　their　death；〃　I　said　to　Joseph。　　〃Yes　it　will；〃　he　replied；
quite　coolly；　〃but　what　matter　how　soon　they　die　now　that　they　have
bathed　in　Jordan？〃　　Very　many　rode　on　donkeys；　two；　generally；　on
each　donkey；　others；　who　had　command　of　money；　on　horses；　but　the
greater　number　walked；　toiling　painfully　from　Jerusalem　to　Jericho
on　the　first　day；　sleeping　there　in　tents　and　going　to　bathe　on　the
second　day；　and　then　returning　from　Jericho　to　Jerusalem　on　the
third。　　The　pilgrimage　is　made　throughout　in　accordance　with　fixed
rules；　and　there　is　a　tariff　for　the　tent　accommodation　at　Jericho；…
…so　much　per　head　per　night；　including　the　use　of　hot　water。