Khaled, F. Marion Crawford [pdf ebook reader txt] 📗

chambers, abas woven of gold and silk and linen, and vests embroidered with pearls, and shoes of which even the soles appear to be of gold. And there are great pieces of stuff, Indian silk, and Persian velvet, and even satin from Stamboul, woven by unbelievers with the help of devils. Then too, in the palace of Riad, there are stored great quantities of precious weapons, most of them made in Syria, with many swords of Shām, which you say are the best, though I do not understand the matter, each having an inscription in letters of gold upon the blade, and the hilt most cunningly chiselled in the same metal, or carved out of ivory.”

“I saw the treasure of Haïl when we took it away after the war, and most of it was distributed among us, but there was nothing like this,” said Abdullah.

“The treasure of Haïl is to the treasure of Riad, as a small black fly walking upon the face of the sun,” answered Almasta. “And yet there was wealth there also, and there was much which you never saw. For that Khaled, who is now Sultan, is crafty and avaricious, and he loaded many camels secretly by night, being helped by black slaves, all of whom he slew afterwards with his own hand lest they should tell the tale, and he then called camel-drivers and sent them away with the beasts to Riad. And he said to them: ‘These are certain loads of fine wheat and of mellow dates, for the Sultan’s table, such as cannot be found in Riad.’ But he sent a letter to his father-in-law, who caused all the packs to be taken immediately to one of the secret chambers, where he and his daughter Zehowah took out the jewels and stored them with their own. And as for me, I believe that Khaled made an end of the Sultan himself by means of poison in Dereyiyah, for he rode away suddenly after they had met, as though his conscience smote him.”

“What is this evil tale which you are telling me?” cried Abdullah. “Surely, it is a lie, for Khaled is a brave man who gives everyone his due and deceives no one. And he is by no means subtle, for I have heard him in council, and he generally said only, ‘Smite,’ but sometimes he said ‘Strike,’ and that was all his eloquence. But whether he said the one or the other, he was generally the first to follow his own advice which, indeed, by the merciful dispensation of Allah, procured us the victory. But what is this tale which you have invented?”

“And who is this Khaled whom you praise?” asked Almasta. “And how can you know his craftiness as I know it, who have lived in the palace and braided his wife’s hair, and brought him drink when he was thirsty? Is he a man of your tribe whose descent you can count upon your fingers, from him to his grandfather and to Ishmael and Abraham? Or is he a man of a tribe known to you, and whose generations you also know? Has any man called him Khaled ibn Mohammed, or Khaled ibn Abdullah? Or has he ever spoken of his father, who is probably now drinking boiling water, and the black angels are pounding his head with iron maces. Yet he says that he came from the desert. Then you, who are of the desert, do not know the desert, for you do not know whence he is. But there are those who do know, and he fears them, lest they should tell the truth and destroy him.”

“These are idle tales,” said Abdullah. “Is it probable that the Sultan would have bestowed his daughter and all the treasures you have described upon such a man without having made inquiries concerning his family? And if the Sultan said nothing to us about it, and if Khaled holds his peace, they have doubtless their reasons. For it may be that there is a blood feud between the people of Khaled and some great person in Riad, so that he would be in danger of his life if he revealed his father’s name. Allah knows. It is not our business.”

“O Abdullah, you are simple, and you believe all things!” cried Almasta. “But I heard of him in Basrah.”

“What did you hear in Basrah? And how could you have heard of him there?”

“I was in the Emir’s harem, being kept there to rest from the journey after they had brought me from the north. And there I heard of Khaled, for the women talked of him, having been told tales about him by a merchant who was admitted to the palace.”

“Now this is great folly,” answered Abdullah. “For Khaled came suddenly to Riad, and was married immediately to Zehowah, and on the next day he went out with us against Haïl, which we took from the Shammar in three weeks’ time from the day of our marching. Moreover we found you there in the palace. How then could news of Khaled have reached Basrah before you left that place?”

“I had come to Haïl but the day before you attacked the city,” said Almasta. “But did I say that I had heard of him as already married to Zehowah?”

For she saw that she had run the risk of being found out in a lie, and she made haste to defend herself.

“What did you hear of him?” asked Abdullah.

“He was a notable fellow and a robber,” answered Almasta. “For he is a Persian, and a Shiyah, who offers prayers to Ali in secret. But because he had done many outrageous deeds, a great price was set upon his head throughout Persia, so he fled into Arabia and by his boldness and craft he married Zehowah. And now he has made a secret covenant to deliver over the kingdom of Nejed to the Persians.”

Then Abdullah laughed aloud.

“Who shall deliver over the Bedouin to a white-faced people,