mohammed ali and his house-第4部分

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the　Koran；　one　must　also　use　one's　hands　industriously；　and　learn　the　precepts　of　worldly　wisdom；　and　the　very　first　of　these　is；　'Have　money；　and　you　can　obtain　all　else。'〃

〃I　will　have　money；　that　I　may　obtain　all　else！〃　exclaimed　Mohammed；　〃only　tell　me　how　to　procure　it。〃

〃That　is　just　where　the　difficulty　lies；　you　foolish　boy；〃　said　the　merchant；　stroking　his　brown　hair　gently。　〃Those　who　rob　and　plunder　make　it　much　easier　for　themselves　in　the　world；　and　I　have　known　many　a　one　to　begin　his　career　as　a　robber　who；　subsequently；　ruled　over　men　as　a　grand　pacha。　Yet　I　am　confident　that　it　is　not　in　this　manner　you　wish　to　acquire　riches；　but　as　an　honest　man。〃

〃Yes；　as　an　honest　man！　I　desire　to　gain　honor；　magnificence；　and　wealth；　by　the　power　of　my　will　and　my　intellect。〃

〃Honor；　magnificence；　and　wealth？〃　repeated　Mr。　Lion。　〃These　are　grand　words；　my　boy！　It　will　be　very　difficult　to　accomplish　so　much；　and　I　can　render　you　no　assistance　in　doing　so；　yet　I　will　take　you　into　my　business　and　try　to　make　a　merchant　of　you；　if　you　wish　it。〃

〃Merchant！〃　repeated　the　boy；　thoughtfully。　〃I　have　nothing　that　I　could　sell。〃

〃Yet　you　can　sell　yourself。　Do　not　look　at　me　so　angrily！　I　do　not　mean　that　you　should　sell　yourself　as　a　slave；　but　do　business　with　your　head；　your　work；　and　your　good…will。　Help　me　to　wait　on　my　customers；　to　sell　goods；　and　to　praise　them　with　pleasing　manners；　and　I　will　furnish　you　with　food　and　clothing；　and　pay　you　monthly　wages　besides；　which　you　can　give　to　your　mother。〃

〃I　should　have　to　stand　behind　the　counter；　and　play　the　amiable　to　people；　as　I　have　seen　you　do？〃

〃Yes；　my　son；　that　you　would　have　to　do。〃

〃I　should　have　to　listen　quietly　to　the　gossips；　spread　out　before　them　the　carpets；　turbans；　and　Persian　shawls；　and；　as　I　have　seen　you　do；　cover　the　spots　with　my　hands　and　praise　the　goods；　and　then　hear　them　scold；　and　bargain；　and　cheapen？〃

〃Really；　you　will　make　a　good　merchant；　I　see　you　have　learned　a　great　deal　already。〃

〃I　should；　when　the　women　stroll　in　and　seat　themselves　at　the　counter；　have　to　wait　on　them　humbly　with　coffee；　and　beg　them　to　do　us　the　honor？　Should　have　to　hear　them　talk　about　their　domestic　affairs；　their　cats；　and　their　dogs；　and　appear　to　be　delighted　with　the　sweetness　of　their　voices；　and　the　lustre　of　their　eyes？〃

〃By　your　prophet；　you　are　a　finished　merchant；　and　will　make　a　splendid　salesman！〃

〃No；　I　shall　not！〃　cried　the　boy。　〃No；　sir！　I　love　you　with　my　whole　soul；　and　have　often　observed　and　admired　how　you　understand　your　art；　but；　forgive　me　for　saying　so；　I　cannot　become　a　merchant！　Propose　something　that　I　can　do。〃

〃Very　well！　I　will　propose　something　else；　become　a　writer；　learn　the　art；　understood　by　so　few；　of　putting　words　spoken　by　others　on　paper　with　signs。　I　should　be　well　pleased；　as　I　need　a　writer。　The　one　I　have　has　grown　old　and　lazy；　and；　though　I　can　speak　your　language；　I　cannot　write　it。　Yes；　learn　to　write；　and　then　you　will　be　provided　for　permanently；　for　writers　are　rare；　and〃

〃I　will　not　learn　it！〃　said　the　boy；　interrupting　him；　〃I　will　have　nothing　to　do　with　the　pen。　I　will　write　my　name　with　the　sword　on　the　faces　of　my　enemies！〃

〃That　would　be　a　beautiful　handwriting！'　observed　Mr。　Lion；　laughing。　〃It　will；　however；　be　some　time　before　you　can　do　that；　and；　in　the　mean　while；　I　would　advise　you　to　go　to　old　Scha…er　Mehsed；　the　story…teller。　He　knows　wonderful　tales；　and　the　whole　history　of　the　great　Prophet　Mohammed。　You　know；　in　the　evenings；　crowds　assemble　around　him；　and　it　fairly　rains　pennies。　But　Scha…er　Mehsed　has　grown　old；　and　hard　to　understand　because　he　has　lost　his　teeth。　Go　and　listen　to　him；　then　take　your　seat　on　the　stone　and　tell　stories　of　the　olden　time　yourself。〃

〃No；　Mr。　Lion；　that　does　not　suit　me　either。　I　will　first　do　great　deeds　before　I　tell　of　them。　Not　until　I　have　grown　old　shall　the　men　and　women　assemble　around　me；　then　they　shall　hear　of　my　deeds。　But　to　tell　of　the　deeds　of　others　only；　would　give　me　no　pleasure。　I　see　nothing　is　left　me　but　to　become　a　soldier。　Yes；　a　soldier。〃

〃I；　too；　believe　that　would　be　the　best　thing　for　you；〃　said　Mr。　Lion；　with　a　kindly　nod　of　the　head。　〃But　then　you　must　wait　until　you　are　larger　and　stronger；　for　they　do　not　make　soldiers　of　boys；　and　you　are　still　a　boy。　At　ten　years　of　age　one　is　not　yet　a　man；　my　little　hero。　But　at　fifteen　you　will　be　a　youth；　and　then　you　will　be　accepted　as　a　soldier。　And　I　prophesy　for　you　a　great　and　brilliant　career　as　such。　Until　then；　however；　I　promise　to　help　your　mother　to　take　care　of　you；　and；　if　I　can　serve　you　in　any　way；　come　to　me；　for　you　know　I　love　you；　and　will　gladly　do　what　I　can　for　you。〃

〃Until　then　I　will　be　the　general　of　the　boys　of　Cavalla；　and　they　shall　all　bow　down　to　me；　and　pay　me　tribute。〃




CHAPTER　III

BOYISH　DREAMS。


Since　that　day　a　great　change　had　taken　place　in　Mohammed　Ali。　He　was　graver　and　more　silent；　and　participated　less　in　the　games　of　the　boys。　He　no　longer　laughed　and　jested　as　he　had　formerly　done；　but　he　was　all　the　more　busily　occupied　with　his　gun；　inherited　from　his　father；　exercising　himself　in　shooting；　and　almost　always　hitting　his　mark。　He　also　strengthened　his　limbs　by　fencing　with　his　old　uncle；　who　had　formerly　been　a　soldier；　or　by　throwing　himself　into　the　sea；　to　struggle　with　the　waves　and　allow　himself　to　be　buffeted　about　by　them　for　hours。　The　boy　prepared　himself　to　become　a　man；　and　he　did　so　with　his　whole　soul；　and　with　the　whole　strength　of　his　will。

He　often　wandered　in　solitude　among　the　rocks　on　the　heights；　or　lingered　on　the　beach　below；　and　when　he　would　return　to　his　mother；　on　such　occasions；　she　could　see　reflected　in　his　countenance　the　great　thoughts　that　agitated　her　boy's　soul。　He　seemed　to　her　to　grow　visibly　taller　each　day；　that　the　boy　was　transforming　himself　into　a　man　with　wonderful　rapidity。　She　knew　that　this　boy　would　become　a　hero；　she　had　seen　it　in　the　expression　of　his　eyes　while　relating　her　dream；　and　she　comprehended　the　longing　which　filled　his　soul；　for　her　soul　was　strong　and　aspiring　like　his；　and　Mohammed　had　inherited　his　ambition　and　strong　will　from　his　mother　Khadra。

〃He　thinks　as　I　should　think　were　I　a　man；〃　said　Khadra　to　herself；　as　she　sat　on　the　threshold　of　her　door　regarding　her　son。　〃Neither　should　I　be　contented　with　our　present　miserable　existence　if　I　were　a　man。　I；　too；　should　desire　to　go　out　and　struggle　with　the　world。　Alas！　but　I　am　only　a　poor　widow；　living　a　miserable；　solitary　life；　awaiting　the　day　when　death　shall　call　me；　and　unite　me　in　Paradise　with　Ibrahim　Aga；　my　master。　But　let　the　young　eagle　brood　and　think　until　his　wings　are　grown；　and　then　let　him　fly　into　the　world　out　of　this　miserable；　rocky　nest。　May　Allah　bless　his　purpose；　and　Mohammed　the　prophet　protect　him！　Allah　il　Allah！〃

While　the　mother　was　praying；　and　looking　out　wistfully　into　the　twilight；　Mohammed　was　sitting　in　his　rocky　cave　down　on　the　shore。

This　was　as　yet　his　only　possession；　his　palace！　No　one　knew　of　this　cave；　discovered　by　the　boy　while　wandering　on　the　shore。　He　had　crept　into　a　narrow　opening　in　the　rock　which　he　had　observed　among　the　cliffs；　that　was　hardly　large　enough　to　admit　of　the　passage　of　his　slender　body。　He　crept　on　his　hands　and　knees；　and　noticed　with　delight　that　this　opening　widened　into　a　cave。　He　went　on；　deeper　and　deeper　into　the　darkness；　when　suddenly　he　saw　a　bright　light　overhead；　and　discovered　that　he　was　in　a　wide　cave；　lighted　from　above　by　a　round　opening　as　by　a　window。

Through　this　opening　he　could　view　the　sea；　and　the　sky　above。

This　cave　was　known　to　no　one　else；　and　Mohammed　carefully　preserved　the　secret　of　its　existence。

This　cave　was　his　palace！　Here　he　could　dream　of　the　future；　here；　in　impenetrable　solitude；　he　could　dwell　with　his　thoughts；　from　here　he　could　look　up　and　implore　counsel　from　the　heavens　above；　or　look　down　at　the　foaming　sea　beneath；　and　refresh　his　soul　with　its　majesty。

By　degrees　he　had　made　this　cave　habitable。　Who　knows　but　it　may　be　necessary　to　seek　it　as　a　refuge　from　pursuit　and　danger　some　day？　Who　knows　but　that　he　may　be　compelled　to　seek　safety　here　some　day　from　his　enemies；　or　even　from　his　friends？

Whatever　he　could　spare　from　the　little　sums　of　money　which　his　mother　occasionally　gave　him；　or　from　the　presents　of　Mr。　Lion　or　his　old　uncle；　he　devoted　to　the　purchase　of　bedding；　or　some　other　article　of　furniture　of　the　kind　used　in　the　huts　of　the　poor。　And　then　at　night；　when　no　one　could　see　him；　he　would　creep　with　these　things　into　his　cave；　his　palace　of　the　future。　Sometimes；　while　sitting　there　dreaming；　the　deep…blue　sky　looking　down　upon　him；　the　sun　throwing　a　ray　of　golden　light　through　the　cave；　strange　visions　would　appear　to　him。　The　cave　would　transform　itself　into　a　glittering　palace；　and　the　wretched　mat　that　lay　on　the　ground　became　a　luxurious　silken　couch；　on　which　he　reclined；　smoking　his　tschibak；　while　slaves　stood　around　in　reverential　attitudes；　ready　to　do　his　bidding。　When　seated　on　his　rickety　stoola　costly　possessionfor　it　had　been　bought　with　the　last　remnant　of　his　money；　it　seemed　to　him　that；　clothed　in　purple；　he　had　mounted　his　throne；　around　which　wondrous　strains　of　melody　resounded。　It　did　not　occur　to　him　that　it　was　the　murmur　of　the　waves　beating　upon　the　rock…bound　shore　without；　to　him　they　were　the　triumphant　songs　of　his　future　greeting　him；　the　ruler。

〃A　ruler；　a　hero；　a　prince；　he　is　to　be；〃　said　the　prophetess　to　his　mother；　and　he　will　do　what　he　can　to　fulfil　this　prophecy。

It　was　with　a　great　effort　only　that　he　could　tear　himself　away　from　such　ecstatic　dreams；　quit　his　hidden　paradise；　and　go　out　into　the　world；　into　reality　again。

One　cannot　live　on　dreams；　one　must　eat；　too。　But　it　annoys　him　that　he　is　subjected　to　this　wretched　necessity　of　eating。

〃If　I　should　have　nothing　to　eat；　if　I　should　become　so　poor　and　miserable　as　to　have　no　bread；　must　I　then　die　be　cause　I　am　in　the　habit　of　eating？〃　he　would　ask　himself；　in　angry　tones。

〃I　will　learn　to　live　without　eating！〃　he　cried；　in　a　loud　voice。

For　days　he　would　wander　about　in　the　forests　and　among　the　rocks；