the two captains-第5章

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the　half　was　scarcely　understood。　　The　end　of　all　this　at　length　was
that　Zelinda　dwelt　on　that　oasis；　in　the　midst　of　the　pathless　sand…
plains　of　the　desert；　surrounded　by　magic　horrors；　and　also；　as　the
Dervish　knew　for　certain；　that　she　had　left　about　half　an　hour　ago　on
her　way　thither。　The　almost　contemptuous　words　with　which　he
concluded　his　narration　plainly　showed　that　he　desired　nothing　more
earnestly　than　to　seduce　some　Christians　to　undertake　a　journey　which
must　terminate　inevitably　in　their　destruction。　　At　the　same　time　he
added　a　solemn　oath　that　everything　was　truly　as　he　had　stated　it；
and　he　did　this　in　a　firm　and　grave　manner；　as　a　man　who　knows　that
he　is　speaking　the　most　indubitable　truth。　　Surprised　and　thoughtful；
the　circle　of　officers　held　their　council　round　him。

Then　Heimbert　stepped　forward　with　an　air　as　if　of　request；　he　had
just　received　a　summons　to　leave　the　burning　palace；　where　he　had
been　seeking　his　friend；　and　had　been　appointed　to　the　place　of
council　because　it　was　necessary　to　arrange　the　troops　here　in
readiness　for　any　possible　rising　in　the　conquered　city。　　〃What　do
you　wish；　my　young　hero？〃　said　Alba；　recognizing　him　as　he　appeared。
〃I　know　your　smiling；　blooming　countenance　well。　　You　were　but　lately
sheltering　me　like　a　protecting　angel。　　I　am　so　sure　that　you　make　no
request　but　what　is　honorable　and　knightly　that　anything　you　may
possibly　desire　is　granted　beforehand。〃　　〃My　great　Duke；〃　replied
Heimbert；　with　cheeks　glowing　with　pleasure；　〃if　I　may　then　venture
to　ask　a　favor；　will　you　grant　me　permission　to　follow　the　beautiful
Zelinda　at　once　in　the　direction　which　this　wonderful　Dervish　has
pointed　out？〃　　The　great　general　bowed　in　assent；　and　added；　〃So
noble　an　adventure　could　not　be　consigned　to　a　more　noble　knight！〃

〃I　do　not　know　that！〃　said　an　angry　voice　from　the　throng。　　〃But　well
do　I　know　that　to　me　above　all　others　this　adventure　belongs；　even
were　it　assigned　as　a　reward　for　the　capture　of　Tunis。　　For　who　was
the　first　on　the　height　and　within　the　city？〃　　〃That　was　Don　Fadrique
Mendez；〃　said　Heimbert；　taking　the　speaker　by　the　hand　and　leading
him　before　the　general。　　〃If　I　now　for　his　sake　must　forfeit　my
promised　reward；　I　must　patiently　submit；　for　he　has　rendered　better
service　than　I　have　done　to　the　emperor　and　the　army。〃

〃Neither　of　you　shall　forfeit　his　reward；〃　said　the　great　Alba。
〃Each　has　permission　from　this　moment　to　seek　the　maiden　in　whatever
way　it　seems　to　him　most　advisable。〃

And　swift　as　lightning　the　two　young　captains　quitted　the　circle　of
officers　in　opposite　directions。





CHAPTER　IX。



A　sea　of　sand；　stretching　out　in　the　distant　horizon；　without　one
object　to　mark　its　extensive　surface；　white　and　desolate　in　its
vastnesssuch　is　the　scene　which　proclaims　the　fearful　desert　of
Sahara　to　the　eye　of　the　wanderer　who　has　lost　himself　in　these
frightful　regions。　　In　this　also　it　resembles　the　sea；　that　it　casts
up　waves；　and　often　a　misty　vapor　bangs　over　its　surface。　　But　there
is　not　the　soft　play　of　waves　which　unite　all　the　coasts　of　the
earth；　each　wave　as　it　rolls　in　bringing　a　message　from　the　remotest
and　fairest　island　kingdoms；　and　again　rolling　back　as　it　were　with
an　answer；　in　a　sort　of　love…flowing　dance。　　No；　there　is　here　only
the　melancholy　sporting　of　the　hot　wind　with　the　faithless　dust　which
ever　falls　back　again　into　its　joyless　basin；　and　never　reaches　the
rest　of　the　solid　land　with　its　happy　human　dwellings。　　There　is　here
none　of　the　sweet　cool　sea…breeze　in　which　kindly　fairies　seem
carrying　on　their　graceful　sport；　forming　blooming　gardens　and
pillared　palacesthere　is　only　a　suffocating　vapor；　rebelliously
given　back　to　the　glowing　sun　from　the　unfruitful　sands。

Hither　the　two　youths　arrived　at　the　same　time；　and　paused；　gazing
with　dismay　at　the　pathless　chaos　before　them。　　Zelinda's　track；
which　was　not　easily　hidden　or　lost；　had　hitherto　obliged　them　almost
always　to　remain　together；　dissatisfied　as　Fadrique　was　at　the
circumstance；　and　angry　as　were　the　glances　he　cast　at　his　unwelcome
companion。　　Each　had　hoped　to　overtake　Zelinda　before　she　had　reached
the　desert；　feeling　how　almost　impossible　it　would　be　to　find　her
once　she　had　entered　it。　　That　hope　was　now　at　an　end；　and　although
in　answer　to　the　inquiries　they　made　in　the　Barbary　villages　on　the
frontier；　they　heard　that　a　wanderer　going　southward　in　the　desert
and　guiding　his　course　by　the　stars　would；　according　to　tradition；
arrive　at　length　at　a　wonderfully　fertile　oasis；　the　abode　of　a
divinely　beautiful　enchantress；　yet　everything　appeared　highly
uncertain　and　dispiriting；　and　was　rendered　still　more　so　by　the
avalanches　of　dust　before　the　travellers'　view。

The　youths　looked　sadly　at　the　prospect　before　them；　and　their　horses
snorted　and　started　back　at　the　horrible　plain；　as　though　it　were
some　insidious　quicksand；　and　even　the　riders　themselves　were　seized
with　doubt　and　dismay。　　Suddenly　they　sprung　from　their　saddles；　as
at　some　word　of　command；　unbridled　their　horses；　loosened　their
girths；　and　turned　them　loose　on　the　desert；　that　they　might　find
their　way　back　to　some　happier　dwelling　place。　　Then；　taking　some
provision　from　their　saddle…bags；　they　placed　it　on　their　shoulders；
and　casting　aside　their　heavy　riding　boots　they　plunged　like　two
courageous　swimmers　into　the　trackless　waste。




CHAPTER　X。



With　no　other　guide　than　the　sun　by　day；　and　by　night　the　host　of
stars；　the　two　captains　soon　lost　sight　of　each　other；　and　all　the
sooner；　as　Fadrique　avoided　intentionally　the　object　of　his　aversion。
Heimbert；　on　the　other　hand；　had　no　thought　but　the　attainment　of　his
aim；　and；　full　of　joyful　confidence　in　God's　assistance；　he　pursued
his　course　in　a　southerly　direction。

Many　nights　and　many　days　had　passed；　when　one　evening；　as　the
twilight　was　coming　on；　Heimbert　was　standing　alone　in　the　endless
desert；　unable　to　descry　a　single　object　all　round　on　which　his　eye
could　rest。　　His　light　flask　was　empty；　and　the　evening　brought　with
it；　instead　or　the　hoped…for　coolness；　a　suffocating　whirlwind　of
sand；　so　that　the　exhausted　wanderer　was　obliged　to　press　his　burning
face　to　the　burning　soil　in　order　to　escape　in　some　measure　the　fatal
cloud。　　Now　and　then　he　heard　something　passing　him；　or　rustling　over
him　as　with　the　sound　of　a　sweeping　mantle；　and　he　would　raise
himself　in　anxious　haste；　but　he　only　saw　what　he　had　already　too
often　seen　in　the　daylimethe　wild　beasts　of　the　wilderness　roaming
at　liberty　through　the　desert　waste。　Sometimes　it　was　an　ugly　camel；
then　it　was　a　long…necked　and　disproportioned　giraffe；　and　then　again
a　long…legged　ostrich　hastening　away　with　its　wings　outspread。　　They
all　appeared　to　scorn　him；　and　he　had　already　taken　his　resolve　to
open　his　eyes　no　more；　and　to　give　himself　up　to　his　fate；　without
allowing　these　horrible　and　strange　creatures　to　disturb　his　mind　in
the　hour　of　death。

Presently　it　seemed　to　him　as　if　he　heard　the　hoofs　and　neighing　of　a
horse；　and　suddenly　something　halted　close　beside　him；　and　he　thought
he　caught　the　sound　of　a　man's　voice。　　Half　unwilling；　he　could　not
resist　raising　himself　wearily；　and　he　saw　before　him　a　rider　in　an
Arab's　dress　mounted　on　a　slender　Arabian　horse。　　Overcome　with　joy
at　finding　himself　within　reach　of　human　help；　he　exclaimed；
〃Welcome；　oh；　man；　in　this　fearful　solitude！　　If　thou　canst；　succor
me；　thy　fellow…man；　who　must　otherwise　perish　with　thirst！〃　　Then
remembering　that　the　tones　of　his　dear　German　mother　tongue　were　not
intelligible　in　this　joyless　region；　he　repeated　the　same　words　in
the　mixed　dialect；　generally　called　the　Lingua　Romana；　universally
used　by　heathens；　Mohammedans；　and　Christians　in　those　parts　of　the
world　where　they　have　most　intercourse　with　each　other。

The　Arab　still　remained　silent；　and　looked　as　if　scornfully　laughing
at　his　strange　discovery。　　At　length　he　replied；　in　the　same　dialect；
〃I　was　also　in　Barbarossa's　fight；　and　if；　Sir　Knight；　our　overthrow
bitterly　enraged　me　then；　I　find　no　small　compensation　for　it　in　the
fact　of　seeing　one　of　the　conquerors　lying　so　pitifully　before　me。〃
〃Pitifully！〃　exclaimed　Heimbert　angrily；　and　his　wounded　sense　of
honor　giving　him　back　for　a　moment　all　his　strength；　he　seized　his
sword　and　stood　ready　for　an　encounter。　　〃Oho！〃　laughed　the　Arab；
〃does　the　Christian　viper　still　hiss　so　strongly？　　Then　it　only
behooves　me　to　put　spurs　to　my　horse　and　leave　thee　to　perish　here；
thou　lost　creeping　worm！〃　　〃Ride　to　the　devil；　thou　dog　of　a
heathen！〃　retorted　Heimbert；　〃rather　than　entreat　a　crumb　of　thee　I
will　die　here；　unless　the　good　God　sends　me　manna　in　the　wilderness。〃

And　the　Arab　spurred　forward　his　swift　steed　and　galloped　away　a
couple　of　hundred　paces；　laughing　with　scorn。　　Then　he　paused；　and
looking　round　to　Heimbert　he　trotted　back　and　said；　〃Thou　seemest　too
good；　methinks；　to　perish　here　of　hunger　and　thirst。　　Beware！　my　good
sabre　shall　touch　thee。〃

Heimbert；　who　had　again　stretched　himself　hopelessly　on　the　burning
sand；　was　quickly　roused　to　his　feet　by　these　words；　and　seized　his
sword；　and　sudden　as　was　the　spring　with　which　the　Arab's　horse　flew
toward　him；　the　stout　German　warrior　stood　ready　to　parry　the　blow；
and　the　thrust　which　the　Arab　aimed　at　him　in　the　Mohammedan　manner
he　warded　off　with　certainty　and　skill。

Again　and　again　the　Arab　sprung；　similarly　here　and　there；　vainly
hoping　to　give　his　antagonist　a　death…blow。　　At　last；　overcome　by
impatience；　he　approached　so　boldly　that　Heimbert；　warding　off　the
threatening　weapon；　had　time　to　seize　the　Arab　by　the　girdle　and　drag
him　from　the　fast…galloping　horse。　　The　violence　of　the　movement
threw　Heimbert　also　on　the　ground；　but　he　lay　above　his　opponent；　and
holding　close　before　his　eyes　a　dagger；　which　he　had　dexterously
drawn　from　his　girdle；　he　exclaimed；　〃Wilt　thou　have　mercy　or　death？〃
The　Arab；　trembling；　cast　down　his　eyes　before　the　gleaming　and
murderous　weapon；　and　said；　〃Show　mercy　to　me；　mighty　warrior；　I
surrender　to　thee。〃　　Heimbert　then　ordered　him　to　throw　away　the
sabre　he　still　held　in　his　right　hand。　　He　did　so；　and　both
combatants　rose；　and　again　sunk　down　upon　the　sand；　for　the　victor
was　far　more　weary　than　the　vanquished。

The　Arab's　good　horse　meanwhile　had　trotted　toward　them；　according　to
the　habit　of　those　noble　animals；　who　never　forsake　their　fallen
master。　　It　now　stood　behind　the　two　men；　stretching　out　its　long
slender　neck　affectionately　toward　them。　　〃Arab；〃　said　Heimbert　with
exhausted　voice；　〃take　from　thy　horse　what　provision　thou　hast　with
thee　and　place　it　before　me。〃　　The　vanquished　man　humbly　did　as　he
was　commanded；　now　just　as　much　submitting　to　the　will　of　the
conqueror　as　he　had　before　exhibited　his　animosity　in　anger　and
revenge。　　After　a　few　draughts　of　palm…wine　from　the　skin；　Heimbert
looked　at　the　youth　under　a　new　aspect；　he　then　partook　of　some
fruits；　drank　more　of　the　palm…wine；　and　at　length　said；　〃You　are
going　to　ride　still　farther　to…night；　young　man？〃　　〃Yes；　indeed；〃
replied　the　Arab　sadly；　〃on　a　distant　oasis　there　dwells　my　aged
father　and　my　blooming　bride。　　No