In Desert and Wilderness. Henryk Sienkiewicz

Mahdi—may

       God prolong his life—has already reached Assuan."

      Here Stas, who did not lose a word of this conversation and remembered also what Idris had said to Gebhr, rose and said:

      "The army of the Mahdi is below Khartûm."

      "La! La! (no! no!)" Chamis contradicted.

      "Don't pay any attention to his words," Stas replied, "for he not only has a dark skin but also a dark brain. Although you bought fresh camels every three days and rushed as you have done this day, you would not reach Khartûm for a month. And perhaps you do not know that an English, not an Egyptian, army bars the road to you."

      These words created a certain impression and Stas, observing this, continued:

      "Before you find yourselves between the Nile and the great oasis all the roads on the desert will be picketed by a line of army sentinels. Words over the copper wire speed quicker than camels. How will you be able to slip through?"

      "The desert is wide," answered one of the Bedouins.

      "But you must keep close to the Nile."

      "We can cross over, and when they seek us on this side we shall be on the other."

      "Words speeding over the copper wire will reach cities and villages on both banks of the river."

      "The Mahdi will send us an angel, who will place a finger on the eyes of the Englishmen and the Turks (Egyptians) and will screen us with his wings."

      "Idris," said Stas, "I do not address Chamis whose head is like an empty gourd, nor Gebhr who is a vile jackal, but you. I already know that you want to carry us to the Mahdi and deliver us to Smain. But if you are doing this for money, then know that the father of this little 'bint' (girl) is richer than all the Sudânese put together."

      "And what of it?" interrupted Idris.

      "What of it? Return voluntarily and the great Mehendi will not spare money for you, nor will my father either."

      "But they will give us up to the Government, which will order us to be hung."

      "No, Idris. You undoubtedly will hang, but only in case they capture you in the flight; and that surely will happen. But if you return, no punishment will be meted out to you, and besides you will be wealthy to the end of your life. You know that the white people of Europe always keep their word. Now I give you the word for both Mehendes that it will be as I say."

      And Stas in reality was confident that his father and Mr. Rawlinson would prefer to fulfil the promise made by him than expose both of them, and especially Nell, to the terrible journey and yet more terrible life among the savage and maddened hordes of the Mahdi.

      So with palpitating heart, he waited for the reply of Idris who was plunged in silence and only after a long interval said:

      "You say that the father of the little 'bint' and yours will give us a great deal of money?"

      "Yes."

      "But can all their money open for us the gates of paradise which only the blessing of the Mahdi can do?"

      "Bismillah!" shouted both Bedouins together with Chamis and Gebhr.

      Stas at once lost all hope, for he knew that howsoever much the people in the East are greedy and venal, nevertheless when a true Mohammedan views any matter from the standpoint of faith, there are not any treasures in the world with which he can be tempted.

      Idris, encouraged by the shouts, continued, and evidently not for the purpose of replying to Stas, but with a view of gaining greater esteem and praise from his companions.

      "We have the good fortune not only to belong to that tribe which gave the holy prophet, but the noble Fatma and her children are his relatives and the great Mahdi loves them. If we deliver you and the little 'bint' to him, he will exchange you for Fatma and her sons and will bless us. Know that even the water, in which every morning according to the precepts of the Koran he makes his ablutions, heals the sick and eliminates sins; and think what his blessing can accomplish!"

      "Bismillah!" reiterated the Sudânese and Bedouins.

      But Stas, clutching at the last plank for help, said:

      "Then take me and let the Bedouins return with the little 'bint' For me they will surrender Fatma and her sons."

      "It is yet more certain that they will surrender her for you two."

      At this the boy addressed Chamis:

      "Your father shall answer for your conduct."

      "My father is already in the desert, on his way to the prophet," retorted Chamis.

      "Then they will capture and hang him."

      Here, however, Idris deemed it proper to give encouragement to his companions.

      "Those vultures," he said, "which will pick the flesh from our bones may not yet be hatched. We know what threatens us, but we are not children, and we know the desert of old. These men (here he pointed at the Bedouins) were many times in Berber and are acquainted with roads over which only gazelles roam. There nobody will find us and nobody will seek us. We must indeed turn for water to the Bahr Yûsuf and later to the Nile, but will do that in the night. Besides, do you think that on the river there are no secret friends of the Mahdi? And I tell you that the farther south we go the more of them we will find. There, tribes and their sheiks are only waiting for the favorable moment to seize the sword in defense of the true faith. These alone will supply water, food, and camels, and lead astray the pursuit. In truth, we know that it is far to the Mahdi, but we know also that every day brings us nearer to the sheep's hide on which the holy prophet kneels to pray."

      "Bismillah!" shouted his companions for the third tune.

      It was apparent that Idris' importance grew among them considerably.

       Stas understood that all was lost; so, desiring at least to protect

       Nell from the malice of the Sudânese, he said:

      "After six hours the little lady reached here barely alive. How can you think that she can endure such a journey? If she should die, I also will die, and then with what will you come to the Mahdi?"

      Now Idris could not find an answer. Stas, perceiving this, continued thus:

      "And how will the Mahdi and Smain receive you when they learn that for your folly Fatma and her children must pay with their lives?"

      But the Sudânese had recovered himself and replied:

      "I saw how you grasped Gebhr's throat. By Allah! you are a lion's whelp and will not die and she—"

      Here he gazed at the little head of the sleeping girl resting on the knees of old Dinah and finished in a kind of strangely gentle voice:

      "For her we will weave on the camel's hump a nest, as for a bird, that she may not at all feel fatigue and that she may sleep on the road as peacefully as she is sleeping now."

      Saying this he walked towards the camels and with the Bedouins began to make a seat for the little girl on the back of the best dromedary. At this they chattered a great deal and quarrelled among themselves but finally, with the aid of ropes, shaggy coverlets, and short bamboo poles they made something in the shape of a deep, immovable basket in which Nell could sit or lie down, but from which she could not fall. Above this seat, so broad that Dinah also could be accommodated in it, they stretched a linen awning.

      "You see," said Idris to Stas, "quail's eggs could not crack in those housings. The old woman will ride with the little lady to serve her day and night.—You will sit with me, but can ride near her and watch over her."

      Stas was glad that he had secured even this much. Pondering over the situation, he came to the conclusion that in all probability they would be captured before they reached the first cataract, and this thought gave him hope. In the meantime he wanted above all things to sleep; so he promised himself that he would tie himself