mohammed ali and his house-第8部分

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stows　on　those　whom　he　is　about　to　call　to　himself。

〃My　son！〃　said　she。　〃This　magnificence　is　not　for　me！〃

〃Yes；　Mother　Khadra；　it　is　indeed　for　you。　Ask　the　merchant；　Lion；　I　paid　for　it　honestly。　You　think；　perhaps；　I　have　not　noticed　that　the　dress　in　which　you　go　to　the　mosque　is　torn　and　faded？　You　think；　perhaps；　I　do　not　know　that　your　head…dress　has　often　been　mended？　I　well　know　that　it　has　been。　I　know；　too；　that　the　women　laugh　and　say　mockingly：She　has　not　even　a　Sabbath　dress；　and　appears　before　Allah　in　the　garb　of　a　beggar！'　Therefore；　I　rejoice　at　having　been　able　to　procure　a　new　dress　for　you；　mother。　Have　it　made；　in　order　that　you　may　appear　before　Allah　in　festive　attire。〃

〃No　my　son；　it　is　impossible；〃　said　Khadra　sadly；　as　Mohammed　held　out　the　costly　package。

〃Why　impossible？〃　cried　he；　excitedly。

〃Because　it　does　not　become　the　widow　of　Ibrahim；　the　poor　woman；　to　array　herself　in　garments　of　purple；　gold…embroidered　satin；　like　the　ladies　of　rank。　The　women　would　laugh　at　and　mock　me　more　than　ever　if　I　should　wear　such　magnificent　garments　instead　of　my　faded　dress。　Neither　can　I　wear　the　veil。　You　can　preserve　all　this　to　give　to　your　bride　some　day。　It　does　not　become　old　Sitta　Khadra　to　adorn　herself　thus。〃

〃You　are　not　old；　Mother　Khadra；〃　said　he；　in　half…tender；　angry　tones。　〃You　are　still　young；　and　when　you　adorn　yourself　with　these　garments；　there　will　be　no　handsomer　woman　in　all　Cavalla　than　Sitta　Khadra。　I　beg　you　to　put　them　on；　but；　to　please　me；　leave　the　veil　a　little　open；　as　the　other　women　do；　that　people　may　see　how　beautiful　my　mother　is。〃

〃This　is　folly；　and　I；　am　glad　no　one　else　hears　your　audacious　words。　No　chaste　woman　opens　her　veil　to　permit　the　gaze　of　disrespectful　men　to　fall　on　her；　and　my　son　Mohammed　does　not　wish　to　blush　for　his　mother。　My　son；　take　back　this　package　to　Mr。　Lion。　I　cannot　wear　such　clothes。〃

〃You　will　not　take　them？〃　said　the　boy；　hastily　seizing　the　package。　〃What　my　heart's　warmest　love　offers；　you　reject？〃

〃I　reject　it；〃　said　she；　gently。　〃I　have　no　need　of　such　clothes。〃

〃Very　well；〃　cried　he；　defiantly。　〃If　you　do　not　need　these　clothes；　I　will　give　them　to　the　mermaids。　They；　too；　like　fine　clothes；　and　they　will　thank　me　more　for　that　which　I　have　bought　with　my　life。　Yes；　I　will　do　this！〃

He　rushed　to　the　door　with　such　violence　that　Khadra　could　hardly　recall　him。　〃Where　are　you　going；　Mohammed？〃

〃To　the　cliffs。　What　my　mother　despises　I　will　throw；　into　the　sea。〃

〃Well；　if　you　are　about　to　do　that；　it　shall　be　as　you　wish；〃　said　the　mother；　leading　him　back　from　the　door。　〃If　the　mermaids　are　to　have　these　beautiful　things；　it　is　better　Mother　Khadra　should　keep　them。〃

〃You　promise　me　to　wear　these　clothes？〃　said　he；　a　smile　suddenly　illuminating　his　face。

Khadra　seated　herself；　spread　out　the　beautiful　goods；　and　regarded　them　with　a　mournful　smile。　〃It　looks　like　mockery。〃

〃No；　not　like　mockery；　but　like　pure　love；〃　said　the　boy；　eagerly。　〃My　love　dresses　you　in　purple　and　gold；　and　I　wish　to　see　Sitta　Khadra　the　most　brilliant　among　women。〃　A　blissful　smile　suffused　itself　over　his　features。　But　suddenly　this　smile　disappeared；　and　his　countenance　assumed　an　expression　of　care　and　anxiety。　At　this　moment　he　saw　how　pale　his　mother　was。　Her　pallor　contrasted　strangely　with　the　purple　lustre　of　the　goods　she　held　in　her　hands。

〃You　are　not　ill；　Mother　Khadra；　you　are　not　suffering？〃　said　he；　in　the　same　anxious　tone　in　which　he　had　so　often　asked。

〃No；　my　son；　I　am　not　ill；〃　said　she；　regarding　him　calmly。

〃When　I　shall　some　day　wear　this　beautiful　dress；　and　this　gold…　embroidered　veil；　you　will　take　delight　in　me。　Thank　you；　child　of　my　heart；　light　of　my　eyes！　Thank　you　for　this；　splendid　present　I　will　hold　it　in　honor　while　life　lasts。〃

〃I　thank　you　for　accepting　it；　and　beg　you　not　to　be　angry　with　me　for　having　been　so　violent；〃　said　Mohammed；　entreatingly；　as　he　kissed　his　mother's　extended　hand。　〃Tell　me　once　more；　mother；　are　you　well；　do　you　feel　no　pain？〃

〃I　feel　well；　and　am　not　suffering；〃　said　she；　regarding　him　lovingly。　'I　should　gladly　see　you　indulge　yourself　in　one　of　your　walks　to　the　cliffs　or　mountains。　It　is　long　since　you　have　taken　one。　I　feel　better　than　usual。　I　shall　go　to　your　sick　uncle　to　wait　on　him；　and　when　I　return　I　shall　lie　down。　You　need　not　fear　that　I　am　waiting　for　you。　Go　to　the　mountains；　beloved　of　my　heart！〃

〃I　shall　do　so　gladly；〃　he　cried；　embracing　and　kissing　her　heartily。　He　then　walked　with　hasty　steps　to　the　door　of　the　hut；　and　out　into　the　free　air。




CHAPTER　V

THE　STORY…TELLER


〃I　HAVE　done　work　enough　to　day；〃　murmured　Mohammed　to　himself；　as；　after　having　left　his　mother；　he　walked　through　the　dirty　suburb　to　the　stairway　hewn　in　the　rock　that　led　down　to　the　cliffs。　〃Yes；　I　have　worked　enough；　and　mother　is　well；　I　will　therefore　go　to　my　paradise；　and　rest　there　awhile。〃

He　sprang　down　the　stairway　and　walked　hastily　toward　the　cliffs。　After　looking　cautiously　around；　he　crept　through　the　narrow　opening　in　the　rocks　into　the　passage。　The　silence　did　him　good；　and　a　happy　smile　played　about　his　lips。　〃Here　I　am　king；〃　he　cried；　loudly　and　joyously。　〃This　is　my　realm；　and　I　shall　soon　enter　my　throne…　chamber。　How　have　I　longed　for　this；　how　glad　am　I！〃　Suddenly　he　stood　still。　〃What　were　Mother　Khadra's　words？〃　he　asked　himself。　〃'Only　he　who　practises　self…denial　can　enjoy。'　Have　I　not　always　said　to　myself　that　I　would　accustom　myself　to　want；　and　learn　to　enjoy　by　denying　myself　that　which　pleases　me？　Have　I　not　said　that　I　would　not　walk　on　rose…leaves；　but　learn　to　tread　on　thorns；　that　my　feet　might　become　inured　to　pain？　And　now；　like　a　foolish　child；　I　am　delighted　at　the　prospect　of　entering　my　cave；　my　throne…　chamber！　'Only　he　who　practises　self…denial　can　enjoy。'　Remember　that；　Mohammed；　and　learn　to　practise　self…denial；　I　will　learn　it！〃　he　cried　so　loudly　that　his　voice　resounded　throughout　the　entire　cave。

He　turned　and　retraced　his　steps。　〃I　would　gladly　have　gone　into　my　cave；　would　gladly　have　reclined　on　my　mat；　have　looked　up　at　the　blue　sky；　and　down　into　the　beautiful；　sea；　that　tells　me　such　wondrous　stories。　Folly！　I　can　hear　stories　elsewhere。　Scha…er　Mehsed　tells　stories；　too；　and　on　the　whole　that　is　more　convenient　than　to　tell　them　to　myself。〃

He　walks　on　hastily；　without　turning　once　to　look　back　at　his　beloved　grotto；　walks　on　into　the　world；　to　men　whom　he　does　not　love；　and　who　do　not　love　him。

He　will　learn　to　practise　self…denial；　and　joyfully　he　now　says　to　himself：　〃I　am　already　learning　it；　and　now　I　can　also　enjoy。〃

At　this　moment　he　observed　Tschorbadji　Hassan；　who　had　just　turned　a　corner　of　the　street；　advancing；　followed　by　his　servants。

When　he　perceived　the　boy；　he　stood　still　and　greeted　him　with　a　gracious　smile。　Mohammed；　his　arms　folded　on　his　breast；　inclined　his　head　profoundly　before　the　mighty　man。

〃See；　Mohammed！　The　splendid　shot！　You　come　at　the　right　moment；　Mohammed；　I　had　already　sent　out　a　slave　after　you。　Osman；　my　poor　sick　son；　craves　a　strange　repast。　He　has　seen　pigeons　whirling　through　the　air；　and　thinks；　probably；　because　he　knows　they　are　not　easily　to　be　had；　that　there　can　be　nothing　better　in　the　world　than　a　roasted　wild　pigeon。　Now；　I　know；　Mohammed　Ali；　that　no　one　can　use　a　gun　better　than　yourself；　and　it　would　give　me　great　satisfaction　to　have　you　procure　some　of　these　birds　for　my　son。〃

〃I　will　do　it　gladly；　because　it　is　for　Osman；〃　replied　Mohammed。　〃I　will　bring　them　myself；　within　the　hour。　I　beg　you；　gracious　master；　to　tell　your　son　that　I　am　glad　to　be　able　to　do　something　for　him。　I　must　be　off　after　my　gun。〃

Mohammed　withdraws　himself　with　a　total　absence　of　ceremony；　not　waiting　until　Tschorbadji　Hassan　Bey　dismisses　him　with　a　gracious　wave　of　the　hand。　He　flies　to　his　mother's　hut；　takes　down　his　gun　from　the　wall；　and　loads　it。　He　then　climbs　rapidly　among　the　cliffs　in　search　of　the　wild…pigeons　for　the　poor　sick　Osman。

In　an　hour；　Mohammed　returned　with　his　game。　As　he　walked　along；　carrying　the　four　birds　in　his　band；　he　said　to　himself　with　a　smile：　〃Was　it　not　well　that　I　learned　to　deny　myself　a　pleasure？　And　here　I　have　the　recompense；　the　enjoyment。　For　it　is　a　recompense　to　be　able　to　gratify　a　wish　of　dear　good　Osman；　he　was　always　so　kind　to　me。〃

He　now　entered　the　court…yard　of　the　palace　in　which　Tschorbadji　Hassan　Bey　resided。　An　Armenian　slave　stood　at　the　gate；　who　seemed　to　have　been　awaiting　the　boys。　He　bowed　profoundly；　which　he　had　never　done　before；　and　announced　that　his　grace　Osman　Bey　was　in　the　garden；　and　had　ordered　that　Mohammed　Ali　should　bring　the　pigeons　himself；　and　that　Tschorbadji　Hassan　was　also　there　awaiting　him。

〃Show　me　the　way；　I　will　follow；〃　said　Mohammed；　whose　tranquil　countenance　gave　no　indication　that　he　felt　flattered　at　the　great　honor　of　being　admitted　to　the　garden。

The　Armenian　led　the　way　with　an　air　of　profound　respect。　Proudly；　his　head　erect；　Mohammed　followed　him　through　the　wide　hall　of　the　palace　and　into　the　garden。

The　fragrance　arising　from　the　carefully…cultivated　flower…beds　was　delightful；　the　kiosks　and　baldachins　were　so　charming！　〃Paradise　must　be　like　this；〃　thought　Mohammed；　and　he　breathed　the　fragrant　air　with　delight。　But　he　turned　his　head　neither　to　the　right　nor　to　the　left；　that　no　one　might　observe　how　wondrously　beautiful　everything　seemed　to　him；　and　that　he　had　never　before　seen　any　thing　so　magnificent。

There；　under　the　beautiful　tent　with　the　golden　tassels；　and　the　gold…glittering　starthere；　on　a　couch；　reclined　a　pale；　thin　boy；　and　at　his　side；　on　a　chair　richly　embroidered；　sat　Tschorbadji　Hassan。

As　Mohammed　now　advanced　with　elastic　step；　his　head　erect；　the　two　looked　at　him　in　admiration。

〃How　splendid　he　looks！〃　murmured　the　pale　boy。　〃That　is　health；　father；　and　life。　He　is　just　my　age；　and　only　look　at　me！〃

The　tschorbadji　suppressed　a　sigh；　and　smiled　gently　as　he　looked　at　his　son。　〃You　are　ill；　my　Osman。　Allah　will　grant　you　speedy　recovery；　and　then　you　will　become　strong　and　healthy　like　Mohammed　Ali。Well！〃　he　cried　to　the　boy　who　had　stood　still　at　some　distance　with　his