mohammed ali and his house-第16部分

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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　plays　about　her　pale　lips。　The　mother　heard　her　child's　voice；　and　her　soul　returned　to　the　already　stiffening　body。

With　a　faint　smile　she　raised　her　head　a　little　to　kiss　his　lips。

〃I　recognize　you；　my　son；　and　I　awaken　once　more　to　bid　you　farewell。〃

〃No；　mother；　it　is　impossible；　you　cannot　leave　me！〃　said　he；　in　such　loud　and　piercing　tones　that　the　mourning…women　at　the　door　heard　it　and　whispered　to　each　other：　〃That　was　a　good　cry；　we　could　do　no　better　ourselves。〃

〃Son　of　my　heart；〃　whispered　Khadra；　and　the　mother　employed　her　last　strength　to　force　her　cold　lips　to　speak　and　to　recall　the　thoughts　already　struggling　to　take　wing〃　son　of　my　Ibrahim；　do　not　grieve　for　me！　I　have　been　dying　these　many　days；　I　have　long　struggled　with　Death。　He　stood　at　the　door　ready　to　take　me；　but　I　thrust　him　back　that　I　might　see　my　son；　my　darling；　once　more。〃

〃O　mother；　mother！　you　are　breaking　my　heart；〃　cried　Mohammed；　and　his　head　sank　heavily　upon　his　mother's　shoulder。

〃Be　brave；　my　son；　I　entreat　you　with　my　last　breath！　Be　brave；　be　a　man；　and　consider　my　dream　with　the　eye　of　your　soul。　Make　it　reality！　Make　of　the　poor；　disconsolate　boy　who　stands　here　the　hero　of　the　future；　as　I　saw　you　in　my　visions　in　the　nights　before　you　were　born！　I　saw　a　crown　on　your　head　and　a　sword　glittered　in　your　hand。　And　I　see　the　future　now；　too；　and　I　will　tell　you　what　I　see；　my　son：　I　see　you；　your　son；　and　your　grandson！　They　shall　all　wear　crowns；　shall　sit　on　one　throne；　and　the　nations　shall　lie　in　the　dust　before　them！　My　soul　has　returned　to　announce　this　to　you。〃

〃If　your　soul　has　returned；〃　said　he；　in　tones　of　earnest　entreaty；　〃then　command　it　to　remain　with　you！　Life　will　be　solitary　and　desolate　without　you。　You　are　the　only　woman　I　love。　If　you　go；　take　me　with　you；　and　tell　the　prophet；　if　he　be　angry；　that　I　could　be　of　no　use　here　on　earth　without　you。　Take　me　to　my　father　and　say　to　him；　the　family　shall　be　united　in　heaven　as　it　never　was　on　earth。〃

〃No；　you　shall　not　go　with　me；〃　said　she；　raising　herself　with　a　last　effort　from　the　mat。　〃I　command　you　to　live！　I　shall　go　to　your　father　and　bear　him　the　greeting　of　our　only　son；　and　say　to　him；　'We　shall　not　die；　we　shall　live　on　in　our　son；　he　will　make　our　name　great　and　glorious　before　the　world！'　But　you　I　command　to　make　true　what　I　shall　tell　him。〃

She　sank　back。　Her　head　fell　heavily　on　her　pillow　of　dry　leaves；　her　breathing　became　short　and　painful；　and　her　eyes　again　assumed　the　vacant　expression　that　had　struck　such　terror　to　Mohammed's　soul。

〃Mother；　I　entreat　you；　answer　me　once　more！　Do　you　hear　me？　Do　you　love　me？〃

〃I　hear　you；〃　murmured　the　stiffening　lips。　〃And　do　I　love　you？　Your　mother's　love　struggled　with　Death　for　a　whole　year。　He　tried　to　drag　me　hence；　and　I　struggled　with　him　day　after　day；　and　night　after　night。　Love　helped　me　to　deceive　you；　or　you　would　have　seen　your　mother　dying　day　by　day。　Now；　I　am　going　hence；　and　the　agathodaemon　will　give　me　new　garments；　and　a　new　countenance　full　of　youth　and　beauty；　that　your　father　may　see　me　as　I　looked　in　the　days　of　our　youthful　love。　O　my　son；　may　the　woman　you　are　to　love　be　not　far　distant；　may　she　soon　wing　her　flight　to　you；　the　dove　of　innocence；　with　the　countenance　of　love　and　the　fragrance　of　the　rose？　May　she　open　heaven　unto　you　with　her　star…like　eyes？　This　is　my　last　blessing；　my　son。　Allah　watch　over　you！　Farewell！〃

The　words　were　soft　and　low；　like　the　whispering　of　a　departing　spirit。　Mohammed　had　listened　eagerly；　his　ear　held　close　to　her　lips；　and　he　still　listened　when　the　light　of　his　mother's　eyes　was　extinguished；　and　the　hand　of　Death　had　swept　over　her　countenance；　imparting　to　the　white　brow　a　yellow；　and　to　the　lips　a　blue　tint。　Suddenly　he　shuddered；　raised　his　head　and　looked　at　his　mother。　He　then　uttered　a　shriek；　a　loud；　fearful　shriek；　that　caused　the　mourning…women　outside　to　bound　to　their　feet；　for　they　knew　that　it　was　thus　that　survivors　shriek　when　Death　seizes　his　prey。

They　now　commence　their　mournings；　and　farther　off　other　cries　and　lamentations　are　heard。　The　latter　are　uttered　by　the　friends　of　Ibrahim　Aga。　They　have　placed　themselves　near　the　but　to　begin；　according　to　a　religious　custom；　the　service　of　the　dead；　as　soon　as　the　soul　shall　have　left　the　body。

They　form　a　circle　near　the　open　door。　Their　arms　crossed　over　their　breasts；　they　stand　there；　moving　their　heads　continually　from　one　side　to　the　other。　〃Allah　il　Allah！〃　they　cry；　and　within　stand　the　women　shrieking；　yelling；　and　lamenting；　over　the　deceased。　They　at　last　arouse　Mohammed；　who　had　swooned　away　beside　the　body。　He　springs　to　his　feet；　pushes　back　the　women；　and　bounds　into　the　middle　of　the　circle　of　men；　who　whirl　around　faster　and　faster；　they　suppose　he　has　come　to　join　in　their　ceremony；　but　he　pushes　them　aside　and　rushes　forth。　He　rushes　so　rapidly　up　the　pathway　that　no　one　can　follow　him；　and　no　one　attempts　to　do　so。

His　grief　must　exhaust　itself；　they　say　to　each　other。

〃When　it　has　done　so；　and　evening　comes；　he　will　return。〃　The　evening　came；　but　Mohammed　had　not　returned　to　perform　the　sacred　duty　of　watching　over　the　dead　through　the　night；　as　it　became　an　only　son　to　do。　The　mourning　women　had　departed　to　rest　after　their　exertions。　They　now　returned；　the　sheik　having　ordered　that　they　should　perform　the　night…watch　in　the　absence　of　the　son；　in　order　that　the　ghins　might　not　enter　and　pronounce　their　curse　over　the　house；　condemning　the　future　generations；　descending　from　the　dead；　to　misery。

The　mourning…women　remained　the　entire　night；　sometimes　interrupting　their　prayers；　to　say　to　each　other　that　Mohammed；　the　only　son；　was　really　a　very　unnatural　child；　and　respected　his　mother　very　little；　or　he　would　not　be　wandering　about　among　the　rocks；　while　his　mother's　body　was　still　unburied。　Then　they　console　themselves　with　the　thought　that　he　will　come　in　the　morning；　when　the　tomtom　resounds；　which　calls　the　people　to　the　funeral。

The　signal　is　heard　on　the　following　morning；　and　the　men　come　carrying　in　their　crossed　arms　the　Koran。

The　sheik　himself　condescends　to　appear　at　Sitta　Khadra's　funeral。　She　was　an　honest；　virtuous　woman；　and　is　to　be　buried　with　honor　beside　the　grave　of　her　husband；　Ibrahim。

The　mourners　slowly　assemble。　The　tomtom　is　still　vainly　summoning　the　only　son。

The　body　has　been　laid　on　two　boards　covered　with　woollen　cloths；　and　is　borne　out　on　the　shoulders　of　four　men。　The　mourning…women　yell　and　shriek；　the　men　murmur　prayers；　and　the　drum　resounds；　while　the　procession　is　slowly　moving　toward　the　place　of　burial。

Mohammed　hears　nothing　of　all　this。　He　has　fled　to　the　cave；　once　his　paradise；　now　his　hell。　There　he　lies　on　his　mat；　looking　up　through　the　opening　in　the　rock　at　the　heavens；　and　cursing　the　ghins　who　have　robbed　him　of　his　mother。　But　his　agathodaemon　will　intercede　with　Allah　for　his　forgiveness　for　the　despair　which　causes　his　lips　to　utter　curses　of　which　his　heart　knows　nothing。　The　good　spirits　will　intercede　for　the　poor　boy。

Driven　out　into　the　world　alone。　Poorer　than　the　eagle's　brood　in　their　nest　overhead；　that　have　tender　parents　to　care　for　them。　No　one　cares　for　me。

The　echo　mournfully　repeats　the　piercing　cry　that　had　resounded　throughout　the　cave；　and　says　sadly：　〃No　one；　no　one。〃　He　then　sinks　down　on　his　mat；　and　lies　there　motionless　and　insensible　with　grief　and　horror。

Without；　the　sea　murmurs　gently；　as　if　to　sing　a　song　of　consolation。　He　hears　it　not。　All　is　now　so　still　that　the　little　snakes　and　green　lizards　with　their　sparkling　eyes　venture　forth　again　from　the　hiding　places　to　which　they　had　fled　when　his　despairing　voice　reverberated　through　the　cave。　They　creep　up　to　the　dark；　motionless　mass　that　lies　there　on　the　ground。　The　sun　sends　its　rays　through　the　opening　in　the　rock；　and　throws　a　streak　of　golden　light　across　the　prostrate　body；　and　the　little　animals　crawl　and　rustle　about　to　enjoy　the　sunshine。

A　large　rock…serpent　has　crawled　from　its　lair　and　coiled　itself　beside　Mohammed；　its　eyes　glitter　in　the　sunlight　like　precious　stones。

〃I　will　diedie　〃　he　suddenly　cries　out；　and　springs　to　his　feet　so　quickly　that　the　serpents　and　lizards　barely　escape　being　trodden　on　as　they　escape　to　their　holes　behind　the　rocks。　〃Here　I　will　remain。　How　often；　in　the　past；　have　I　longed　to　be　in　my　cave；　my　only　secret；　my　only　possession。〃　Once；　to　gratify　this　longing；　I　came　here；　and　then　turned　back；　and　said　to　myself。　He　who　cannot　practice　self…denial；　cannot　enjoy！　And　now　I　have　practiced　it；　and　yet　I　have　not　enjoyed。　But　now　I　will　enjoy；　will　enjoy　death；　at　least。　Yes；　I　am　resolved；〃　said　he；　with　trembling　lips。〃　I　will　remain　here　and　enjoy　death。　What　does　this　struggling　from　day　to　day　avail　this　dreaming　of　future　glory？　Each　succeeding　day　is　in　poverty　and　misery　the　same。　I　was　a　fool　to　dream　of　future　glory。　Now　I　will　die。　Let　others　be　happy！　Let　the　slave；　Osman　Bey；　attain　what　the　free　Mohammed　cannot　attain。　He　is　welcome　to　his　reward　death　is　at　the　end　of　it　all；　for　him；　too！〃

He　looks；　through　the　opening　in　the　rock；　at　the　heavens　above　him；　and　then　rises　higher　to　look　down　at　the　sea　also；　as　though　he　wished　to　take　leave　of　it　in　a　last　glance。　He　then　lies　down　on　his　mat　again。　〃Yes；　let　the　slave　Osman　achieve　glory；　the　free　Mohammed　prefers　death。〃

And　yet；　against　his　will；　he　must　still　think　of　the　slave　who　has　gone　out　into　the　world　over　the　sea　to　the　wondrous　land　of　Egypt；　where　the　caliphs　were　once　enthroned；　where　their　tombs　still　stand；　and　where　the　Mamelukes　now　rule　in　their　stead。　He　still　dreams　of　this　wondrous　land；　with　its　ancient　cities；　and　thinks　that　these　may　be　the　death　dreams　that　are　to　lull　him　to　his　eternal　rest。

He　is　suddenly　awakened　from　his　dreams　by　a　horrible　sensation。　It　is　hunger；　the　hunger　that　rages　within　him。　It　is　thirst　that　parches　his　lips。　The　soul　wishes　to　die；　but　the　body　calls　the　man　back　to　life；　and　appeals　to　him　so　loudly