mohammed ali and his house-第46部分

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The　poor　sheik　had　not　been　able　to　bear　the　loss　of　his　only　child；　his　Masa。　He　had　died　of　grief。　He　had　called　for　his　Masa　with　his　last　breath。

No　one　now　speaks　of　her。　The　young　girls　of　that　time　have　now　become　mothers；　and　sometimes　tell　their　little　ones　of　the　Flower　of　Praousta　and　her　death；　as　of　a　fairy　tale　of　the　olden　time。

It　has　become　a　fairy…tale；　and　has　been　written　in　verses　which　the　fisher…boys　sing　when　they　go　out　upon　the　waves。　They　have　almost　forgotten　that　only　ten　years　have　passed　since　Masa's　death；　and　when　they　gaze　at　the　pale；　earnest　face　of　Mohammed　Ali　as　he　passes　through　the　streets　of　Cavalla　in　his　business　occupations；　they　scarcely　remember　that　he　it　is　who　was　the　cause　of　her　death。

Does　he　remember　it　himself？

All　things　pass　away；　grief　and　joy　alike。　He　has　suffered　much　since　those　days；　but　he　has　suffered　in　silence；　few　know　that　he　loved　Masa；　and　these　few　have　considerately　refrained　from　touching　the　wound　that　had　once　bled　in　his　heart；　lest　it　might　not　yet　be　healed。

When　found　on　the　sea…shore　that　morning　by　the　father　of　his　friend　Osman；　Mohammed　Ali　was　taken　up　to　the　governor's　house；　where　he　was　tenderly　cared　for。

For　many　days　he　remained　entirely　unconscious　of　all　that　was　going　on　around　him。　He　lay　there　coffined　in　his　grief；　as　in　living　death。　They　cooled　his　feverish　brow；　and　poured　strengthening　cordials　between　his　lips。　The　magi　cians　and　sorcerers；　as　well　as　the　physicians　of　Cavalla　and　the　neighboring　cities；　were　summoned　to　his　assistance　by　the　tschorbadji　and　his　son。　But　neither　amulets　nor　talismans；　neither　medicines　nor　herbs；　could　heal　the　wounds　which　did　not　bleed；　or　cool　the　burning　pain　of　his　soul。

He　lay　there　motionless；　his　eyes　gazing　fixedly　at　vacancy；　and　yet　they　constantly　saw　the　one　fearful　yet　blissful　picture；　the　Flower　of　Praousta；　the　white　dove；　as　she　lay　there　in　the　early　dawn；　her　large　eyes　fixed　on　him　tenderly　；　and　saw；　too；　the　fearful；　the　never…to…be…forgotten　event。　As　the　dark　body　sank　beneath　the　waves；　a　shudder　would　course　through　his　whole　being；　and　a　scarcely…audible　cry　escape　his　lips。　The　ear　of　his　listening　friend　Osman　would　catch　the　word　that　escaped　him；　and　this　word　was　〃Revenge！　revenge！〃

With　time　all　things　pass　away。　There　is　a　limit　to　the　profoundest　pain；　to　the　profoundest　torpor。　One　day　Mohammed　raised　his　hand　and　in　a　low　voice　called　for　water。

Consciousness　had　returned。　He　now　felt　the　torment　that　glowed　in　his　soul。　When　a　man　has　become　conscious　of　his　suffering；　there　is　a　possibility　of　relief。

The　water　at　least　cooled　his　lips；　and　the　tender；　affectionate　words　of　his　friend；　and　the　tears　of　sympathy　that　fell　upon　his　countenance；　at　last　cooled　the　fire　that　burned　in　his　soul。

Happy　is　be　who　can　impart　his　grief　to　others；　whom　Fate　does　not　compel　to　confine　it　within　his　own　bosom；　and　let　it　gnaw　at　his　vitals。　Happy　is　he　who　can　pour　out　the　burden　of　his　sorrow　and　suffering　in　the　ear　of　a　friend！　That　grief　of　which　one　can　speak　is　not　mortal。

But　there　is　another　kind　of　grief　and　suffering　more　bitter　than　thatit　is　deep；　like　the　grave。　Black　like　the　night　is　the　grief　that　can　find　no　utterance；　that　is　chained　to　the　heart　by　a　sense　of　duty。

Are　such　the　grief　and　suffering　that　burden　the　breast　of　the　pale　man　who　stands　there　on　the　shore　gazing　out　at　the　sea？　Are　such　the　grief　and　suffering　that　sometimes　break　in　upon　the　solitude　and　stillness　of　the　night　in　low　sobs　from　the　lips　of　the　man　who；　but　ten　years　ago；　was　so　full　of　the　courage；　energy；　and　joyousness　of　youth？

Osman　had　not　nursed　his　friend　alone。　A　woman　had　stood　at　his　side；　the　beautiful　Ada；　of　whom　Osman　some　times　whispered　to　his　friend　that　she　loved　him。

Upon　hearing　of　his　grief　and　illness；　Ada；　conscious　of　her　love　only；　and　casting　aside　all　the　fetters　that　bound　her；　had　left　her　husband's　house　and　came　to　the　palace　of　her　uncle；　with　whom　she　was　a　great　favorite。　With　glowing　words　she　told　him　that　she　would　never　return　to　the　house　of　her　husband；　who　had　long　tormented　her　with　his　fierce　jealousy；　because　he　well　knew　that　his　wife　did　not　love　him；　but　loved　the　friend　of　his　relative；　young　Mohammed　Ali。　In　the　strength　and　ardor　of　her　love；　she　had　not　cared　to　deny　that　this　was　so；　and　firmly　declared　that　she　would　be　his　alone；　and　therefore　had　she　come　up　to　the　palace　to　nurse　and　wait　on　him　she　loved；　in　his　illness　and　distress。

The　tschorbadji　did　not　oppose　her　wishes；　and　the　poor；　delicate　youth　Osman　was　well　pleased　to　have　Ada's　assistance　in　nursing　his　friend。

She　had　been　at　his　bedside　constantly；　and　listened　eagerly　to　the　words　that　fell　from　his　lips　in　the　delirium　of　his　fever。　Ada　would　lie　on　her　knees　beside　him；　absorbed　in　those　mysterious　outpourings　of　the　human　heart；　listening　to　his　descriptions　of　the　object　of　his　great　love；　of　his　Masa；　of　her　fate；　and　hear　his　oaths　of　vengeance。

After　the　days　of　fever；　and　of　the　outpourings　of　anguish；　came　the　days　of　exhaustion　and　of　returning　consciousness。　The　struggle　between　life　and　death　lasted　long；　but　life　was　at　last　victorious。

Mohammed　now　felt　his　weakness；　and　he　lay；　as　in　the　beginning　of　his　illness；　for　many　a　day；　motionless；　on　his　bed；　with　widely…　opened　eyes；　staring　around　him。

But　he　now　saw；　and　was　conscious　of　what　he　saw。

He　saw　his　friend　Osman；　who　followed　his　every　movement　with　tender　glances；　and　whose　countenance　shone　with　delight　when　Mohammed　smiled　on　him；　and　told　him　with　a　look　that　he　recognized　him；　and　knew　of　his　love。　He　saw；　too；　the　veiled　woman；　who　flitted　about　him；　reading　his　every　wish　in　his　face；　and　fulfilling　it　before　he　expressed　it。　It　touched　his　heart　to　perceive　that　there　was　still　a　woman　who　cared　for　him；　and　was　anxious　on　his　account。　He　had　believed　himself　alone　in　the　wide　world；　and　there　were　now　beside　him　two　beings　that　shared　his　sorrow；　and　whose　hearts　beat　warmly　for　him。　This　was　written　in　their　countenances；　this　their　busy；　anxious　movements　betrayed。

When　he　was　sufficiently　recovered　to　be　spoken　to；　Osman　told　him　of　Ada's　love；　of　her　grief　on　his　account；　of　her　joy　in　being　permitted　to　nurse　him；　and　of　her　having　separated　herself　from　the　past；　forsaking　all　else　to　serve　him　and　him　alone。

He　made　no　reply；　but　closed　his　eyes；　and　a　low　groan　escaped　his　lips。

Poor　Ada！　The　story　of　her　love　reminds　him　of　his　own；　and　for　a　moment　the　old　wound　bleeds　afresh。

Could　he　be　ungrateful？　Could　he　now　abandon　her　who　had　forsaken　every　thing　for　him　when　he　was　in　distress；　and　needed　her　care？　Could　he　do　this　now；　when　strength　had　returned　to　him；　now　that　he　was　able　to　walk　in　the　garden；　supported　on　his　friend　Osman's　arm？　Could　he　forsake　her　who　walked　beside　him；　her　eyes　sparkling　with　delight　at　his　recovery？

And　when　the　tschorbadji　came；　now　that　Mohammed　was　strong　enough　to　occupy　himself　with　his　future　business　matters；　and　spoke　to　him　seriously；　and；　with　Ada's　consent；　formally　proposed　his　marriage　with　his　niece；　in　order　that　her　reputation　might　not　suffer；　and　that　she　might　regain　the　position　she　had　lost　before　the　world　on　his　account；　could　he　cowardly　decline；　and　excuse　himself　with　his　own　grief？　Would　it　become　him　to　say；　〃Let　the　woman　who　has　loved　me　live　in　disgrace！〃　Could　he　do　this？

No；　he　felt　that　it　would　be　cruel　in　him　to　act　thus；　and　how　could　he　be　cruel；　he　who　had　suffered　so　much　from　the　inhumanity　of　others？

He　accepted　the　tscborbadji's　proposal。　He　went　to　Ada；　who　awaited　him；　her　heart　throbbing　anxiously；　and　asked　her　if　she　would　be　his　wife；　follow　him　to　his　house；　and　walk　with　him　through　life　in　sorrow　and　in　joy。

He　asked　this　question　in　a　sad；　low　voice；　and　Ada　knew　what　lay　buried　in　the　depths　of　his　heart；　but　she；　nevertheless；　accepted　his　offer；　and　consoled　herself　with　the　thought：　〃All　things　pass　away；　and　time　heals　all　wounds。〃

She　became　his　wife；　and　brought　with　her　a　rich　dowry。

He　had；　however；　made　no　inquiries　after　this；　did　not　care　for　it；　and　did　not　rejoice　when；　on　the　morning　after　the　wedding；　the　tschorbadji　took　his　arm　and　conducted　him　to　one　of　the　largest　and　best　houses　in　the　main　street　of　Cavalla。　He　showed　him　the　store　and　parlors；　and　led　him　up　the　stone　stairway　into　the　apartments　of　the　harem；　that　were　richly　furnished　and　adorned。

Nor　did　he　smile　when；　on　descending　the　stairway；　Ada　met　him；　and　begged　him；　in　her　gentle　voice；　to　accept　the　house　and　all　it　contained　as　his　property；　as　a　love…offering　from　her。

He　thanked　her　with　many　kind　and　tender　words；　yet　Ada　felt　that　the　wound　still　burned　in　his　soul；　and　the　sad　tone　of　his　voice　did　not　escape　her。　The　house　was　handsome；　and　so　was　the　store。　The　advice　of　the　merchant　Lion　had　been　taken　by　Ada；　and　the　tschorbadji　and　he　kindly　assisted　in　arranging　every　thing　for　the　young　merchant　in　a　suitable　and　appropriate　manner。　Mohammed　was　not　to　deal；　like　his　friend　Lion；　in　all　kinds　of　household　articles。　Lion　knew　the　young　man　better；　he　knew　that　such　a　business　would　not　suit　him；　and　that　his　lips　would　not　conform　to　the　necessity　of　using　complacent　words　and　flattery；　in　order　to　dispose　of　his　wares。　The　merchant　had；　therefore；　advised　Ada　and　the　tschorbadji　to　arrange　to　have　the　young　man　embark　in　a　wholesale　business。

The　tobacco　of　Macedonia　is　celebrated　far　and　wide；　and　vessels　come　there　from　all　quarters　of　the　globe　to　export　this　article　and　distribute　it　throughout　the　world。　They　had；　therefore；　made　Mohammed　proprietor　of　a　large　tobacco　warehouse；　and　he　had　now　been　engaged　in　this　business　some　ten　years；　and　had　become　a　wealthy　merchant。　The　people　called　him　a　happy　man；　too；　and　perhaps　be　was；　for　Mohammed　seemed　to　have　true　domestic　happiness　in　his　wife　and　children；　he　conducted　no　second　wife　into　his　harem。　Ada　was　his　only　wife；　and　the　sole　mistress　of　his　house。

Yes；　he　was　certainly　happy　in　his　family；　three　sons　had　been　born　to　him；　and　he　often　went　out　upon　the　sea　with　them；　and　taught　them；　in　their　boats；　to　command　the　wav