mohammed ali and his house-第15部分

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lf　while　he　might　be　attempting　deeds　of　heroismto　be　dallying　with　women　instead　of　mowing　off　the　heads　of　his　enemies；　that　I　cannot　comprehend。　It　is　repulsive　to　me　to　think　of　a　man's　surrounding　himself　with　women；　and　taking　delight　in　their　caresses　and　soft　words。〃

〃It　suits　Cousrouf　very　well！〃　said　Osman；　smiling。　〃He　spends　the　greater　part　of　his　time　in　the　harem。　Singing；　music；　and　rejoicing；　are　the　order　of　the　day　there。　Black　female　slaves　fan　him　with　fans　made　of　peacock…feathers；　others；　on　their　knees；　fill　his　chibouque；　while　he　reclines　on　his　cushions；　smoking　and　dreamily　gazing　at　the　beautifully…attired　female　slaves　who　dance　before　him。〃

〃And　he；〃　said　Mohammed；　〃he；　the　vain　man；　imagines　that　they　dance　and　remain　in　his　harem　out　of　love　for　him！

〃I　suppose　they　make　him　think　so。　They　say　a　woman's　lips　make　a　lie　sweet；　and　that　her　face　always　wears　a　mask！　And　yet〃　he　continued；　looking　dreamily　toward　the　harem；　〃I　must　tell　you；　Mohammed；　I　sometimes　think　I　should　be　happy；　too；　and　less　tormented　with　ennui；　if　one　of　these　houris　of　paradise　sat　at　my　side；　chastely　veiled；　regarding　me　lovingly　and　I　could　look　through　the　white　veil　at　the　smile　on　her　lips。　Ah；　Mohammed；　we；　who　are　not　made　to　become　heroes；　feel　an　irresistible　longing　after　love；　and　the　sweet　delight　of　being　loved。　You；　of　course；　cannot　understand　this。〃

〃No；　I　cannot；〃　cried　Mohammed；　with　a　contemptuous　smile。　〃I　shall　never　bow　my　head　beneath　the　yoke　of　female　slaves；　with　their　beautiful　almond…shaped　eyes　and　purple　lips。　I　shall　consider　all　women　as　playthings；　with　the　exception　of　my　mother；〃　said　he；　bowing　his　head　with　profound　reverence。　〃Allah　forgive　me　for　speaking　ill　of　women；　for　our　mothers　are　women；　Osman！　Forgive　me　my　pride　and　folly。　I　speak　only　of　the　light…footed　slaves；　with　the　deceiving　smile　and　the　false　eyes。〃

〃And　who　knows；'　said　Osman；　smiling；　〃but　that　my　Mohammed；　who　speaks　of　these　fetters　so　derisively；　may　not　some　day　be　vanquished？　Do　not　set　your　face　against　it；　Mohammed。　Remember　that　even　the　heart　of　the　great　prophet　glowed　with　love；　and　that　it　was　he　who　peopled　paradise　with　houris；　and　promised　it；　as　the　highest　bliss；　that　beautiful　women　should　there　kneel　down　before　the　blessed　spirits；　gently　stroke　their　feet；　and　look　at　them　lovingly　with　their　lustrous；　gazelle…like　eyes。　Therefore；　do　not　say；　Mohammed；　that　your　heart　shall　never　be　accessible　to　love！　Yours　is　a　true；　manly　heart；　and　a　manly　heart　must　love。　You　see；　Mohammed；　I　am　hardly　a　man；　and　shall　probably　never　become　one；　and　therefore　I　do　not　believe　that　love　will　ever　hold　me　in　its　golden　net；　I　shall　love　nothing　but　my　best；　my　only　friend。〃

〃And　will　you　tell　me　his　name；　Osman？　〃　asked　Mohammed；　bending　down　closely　to　him。　Passionately；　almost　threateningly；　he　repeated：　〃Will　you　tell　me　the　name　of　this；　your　beloved；　your　only　friend？〃

Osman；　smiled；　took　from　a　cushion　an　oval　mirror；　framed　in　mother…　of…pearl；　with　a　golden　handle；　and　held　it　before　Mohammed。　〃Look　at　yourself；　and　you　will　know　his　name。〃

Looking；　not　at　the　mirror；　but　earnestly　into　his　friend's　eyes；　Mohammed　stooped　down　and　kissed　Osman's　lips。

〃Listen；　Osman；　to　what　I　say！　I　am　almost　ashamed　to　confess　it；　and　yet　it　is　true；　next　to　my　mother　I　love　you　best　on　earth；　and　I　believe　I　could　sacrifice　my　life　for　you。〃

〃And　I　mine　for　you；〃　said　Osman；　gently。

〃Let　us　swear　to　be　true　friends　forever；〃　continued　Mohammed。

〃Here　is　my　hand！　Eternal　friendship！　If　you　need　me；　Osman；　call　me；　and；　were　I　ever　so　distant；　I　would　come　to　you。　When　in　want；　or　when　cast　down　by　sorrow　and　suffering；　I　will　complain　to　no　one　but　you。　What　my　lips　will　confess　to　no　one　else；　they　shall　confess　to　Osman。　Shall　it　be　so？　Friendship　for　life？〃

〃Yes；　life…long　friendship！'　said　Osman。　〃Men　need　not　know　it。　We　will　preserve　as　our　secret　the　bond　of　friendship　we　have　formed；　and　I　only　entreat　of　Allah　that　he　may　some　day　permit　me　to　prove　to　you　that　I　am　your　friend。〃

〃And　this　I　entreat　of　Allah；　too；〃　said　Mohammed；　warmly　pressing　his　friend's　wan　hand。　〃But　now　let　me　go；　the　scha…er　relates　again　to…day；　and　I　will　go　and　hear　him；　and　come　to…morrow　to　repeat　to　you　what　I　have　heard；　if　you　wish　it。〃

〃I　shall　await　you；　Mohammed；　and　count　the　hours　until　you　come。〃

They　shook　hands　once　more；　and　Mohammed　hurried　down　the　garden…　walks。　Osman's　eyes　followed　him　lovingly。

〃I　love　him；　and　may　Allah　enable　me　to　prove　it　some　day！〃

Mohammed　hurries　on；　heedless　of　the　direction　he　has　taken；　and　forgetting　that　the　use　of　the　main　avenue　was　forbidden　since　the　harem　had　taken　possession　of　the　park。　He　walks　on；　carelessly；　heedlessly。　He　wishes　to　pass　out　at　the　back　gate　of　the　garden；　as　he　often　did。　Hastening　on；　with　flushed　cheeks；　he　hardly　perceives　a　veiled　figure；　accompanied　by　two　eunuchs；　that　has　just　stepped　out　into　the　walk　from　a　side…path。　The　eunuchs　cry　out；　and　imperiously　command　him　to　depart　instantly。　Mohammed　stands　still；　shrugs　his　shoulders；　and　regards　them　derisively。

〃Are　you　the　masters　here　in　the　park　of　the　tschorbadji　of　Cavalla？〃　he　asks；　proudly。　〃I　shall　depart　when　I　choose；　and　because　I　choose；　and　not　because　the　strange　servants　of　the　stranger　have　the　insolence　to　order　me　to　do　so。〃

He　said　this　in　haughty；　angry　tones；　and　with　sparkling　eyes；　inclined　his　head　slightly　to　the　veiled　female　figure；　and　passed　slowly　by　her　without　even　a　curious　glance。

But　she　stands　still；　and　her　black　eyes　burn　like　flames　as　her　gaze　follows　him；　and　her　purple　lips　murmur；　in　low　tones：　〃Beautiful　is　he；　as　the　young　day；　beautiful　as　the　rosy　dawn　of　heaven！　Oh；　that　it　shone　over　me！　Oh；　that　this　sun　were　mine！〃

He　heeded　her　not；　he　did　not　hear　the　sweet　whispering　of　her　lips。




CHAPTER　IX

A　SOUL　IN　THE　AGONIES　OF　DEATH。


THE　narratives　of　the　scha…er　continued　to　resound　in　Mohammed's　soul；　and　occupied　him　day　and　night。　His　existence　seemed　useless　and　empty；　and　every　thing　that　surrounded　him　colorless　and　desolate。　What　cared　he　now　for　cliffs　and　caves；　for　the　surging　sea；　for　the　blue　sky？　How　little　it　seemed　to　him　to　be　the　best　rifleman　and　oarsman　of　the　island；　to　be　renowned　down　in　Praousta　as　the　best　fisherman！

What　does　he　care　for　all　this？　Who　hears　of　what　takes　place　in　Cavalla；　or　in　the　miserable　village　of　Praousta？　Nobody　comes　here　except　the　merchants　who　sometimes　land　to　purchase　the　celebrated　tobacco；　and　the　sultan's　collectors　who　come　twice　a　year　for　the　taxes。

Who　knows　of　these　insignificant　places？　Who　observes　Mohammed　Ali　when　he　strikes　the　bird　in　its　flight；　or　steers　his　boat　over　the　waves　in　the　wildest　storm？　All　is　tame　and　paltry！　With　his　mind's　eye　he　sees　before　him　the　cities　the　scha…er　had　told　of。　Over　there　in　Egypt；　stretched　out　on　the　yellow　shore　of　the　green　sea；　lies　a　great　and　magnificent　city　with　towers；　minarets；　and　temples；　a　city　such　as　he　has　never　seen；　the；　city　of　Alexandria。　Before　this　city；　in　the　spacious　harbor　that　has　existed　for　thousands　of　years；　lie　long　rows　of　ships　with　masts；　and　fluttering　flags；　and　golden　images　at　their　bows。

Little　boats　dance　about　the　ship；　and　all　is　activity　and　bustle。　In　the　interior　of　the　land　shines　El…gahera；　the　new　city；　with　the　palaces　of　the　caliphs　and　its　hundreds　of　minarets　and　temples。　The　streets　are　alive　with　men　of　all　nations；　there　are　Turks　and　Arabians；　Egyptians　and　Europeans。　The　blacks　of　Nubia　and　Abyssinia　mingle　with　the　white　men　of　France　and　Germany；　and　the　languages　of　all　nations　are　heard。

He　lay　on　the　rock；　on　the　Ear　of　Bucephalus；　gazing　out　into　the　distance　toward　the　horizon；　imagining　he　could　see　these　wondrous　cities。　He　dreamed　of　the　glories　of　the　world；　and　his　fancy　beheld　boats　and　ships；　palaces　and　minarets。

The　sea　lies　beneath　like　a　blue　mirror。　The　waves　murmur　in　low　tones　as　they　caress　the　shore。　The　stillness　is　profound；　the　solitude　of　the　first　day　of　creation　surrounds　him。　Suddenly　a　cry　resounds；　a　loud；　piercing　one；　such　as　the　eagle　utters　when　his　young　are　in　danger。　It　aroused　Mohammed　from　his　meditation。

〃Strange！　I　heard　the　cry；　yet　I　can　nowhere　see　the　eagle　that　uttered　it。〃

For　the　second　time　it　resounds；　louder　and　more　piercing　than　before。　Mohammed　shudders　in　his　whole　being。

The　cry　is　not　that　of　an　eagle。　It　is　a　human　voice。　Toussoun　has　uttered　it；　and　it　announces　that　his　mother　is　in　danger。　He　springs　with　horror　to　his　feet；　and　bounds　from　rock　to　rock；　down　the　steep…he　has　just　heard　the　cry　for　the　third　time。

〃Await　me；　mother！　O　my　mother；　I　am　coming！〃

Like　an　arrow　he　speeds　through　the　suburb　to　his　mother's　hut。　Pale　and　terrified；　Toussoun　meets　him　at　the　door。　He　had　risen　from　his　bed　of　sickness　in　response　to　Khadra's　call。　With　weak；　trembling　lips　he　had　entreated　her　to　allow　him　to　call　her　son；　and　he　did　call　him；　breathing　out　his　last　remnant　of　strength　in　summoning　Mohammed　to　his　mother。　Pale；　weak；　and　ill；　he　now　returns　to　his　own　hut；　supported　on　the　arm　of　a　neighbor；　and　returns　to　die。

Mohammed　has　not　noticed　him。　He　springs　to　the　door；　tears　it　open；　and　sees　the　women　who　have　come　to　Sitta　Khadra's　assistance。　Now　that　he　has　come　they　walk　out　noiselessly；　and　wait　at　the　door。

How　long　will　it　be　before　she　is　dead；　before　they　can　assume　the　role　of　mourning…women；　and　begin　their　lamentations？　True；　Sitta　Khadra　is　poor；　but　then　the　community　will；　out　of　self…respect；　pay　the　mourning　charges。　Consoling　themselves　with　this　thought；　the　women　crouch　down　at　the　door。

Mohammed　kneels　beside　the　mat　on　which　his　mother　lies；　takes　her　handsnow　almost　cold…in　his　own；　bends　over　her　and　looks　into　the　widely…distended　eyes　that　stare　vacantly　up　at　him；　and　sobs　in　loud；　heart…rending　tones　〃Mother；　Mother；　Do　you　hear　me？　Here　I　am；　your　son；　Mohammed。　You　cannot　die；　for　I　am　with　you！〃

The　words　of　her　son　reach　the　mother's　soul；　that　was　already　on　the　point　of　fluttering　to　heaven。　It　returns　to　its　poor　frail　habitation。　Life　returns　to　her　eyes；　and　a　faint　smile　p