Chapter Eleven: The City of Al-Je-Bal
"I pray you have done," said Godwin, "it is but a scratch fromthe beast's claws. I am ashamed that you should put your hair tosuch vile uses. Give me a little water."
He asked it of Wulf, but Masouda rose without a word and fetchedthe water, in which she mingled wine. Godwin drank of it and hisfaintness left him, so that he was able to stand up and move hisarms and legs.
"Why," he said, "it is nothing; I was only shaken. That lionessdid not hurt me at all."
"But you hurt the lioness," said Wulf, with a laugh. "By St. Chada good thrust!" and he pointed to the long sword driven up to thehilt in the brute's breast. "Why, I swear I could not have made abetter myself."
"I think it was the lion that thrust," answered Godwin. "I onlyheld the sword straight. Drag it out, brother, I am still tooweak."
So Wulf set his foot upon the breast of the lion and tugged andtugged until at length he loosened the sword, saying as hestrained at it:
"Oh! what an Essex hog am I, who slept through it all, neverwaking until Masouda seized me by the hair, and I opened my eyesto see you upon the ground with this yellow beast crouched on thetop of you like a hen on a nest egg. I thought that it was aliveand smote it with my sword, which, had I been fully awake, Idoubt if I should have found the courage to do. Look," and hepushed the lioness's head with his foot, whereon it twisted roundin such a fashion that they perceived for the first time that itonly hung to the shoulders by a thread of skin.
"I am glad you did not strike a little harder," said Godwin, "orI should now be in two pieces and drowned in my own blood,instead of in that of this dead brute," and he looked ruefully athis burnous and hauberk, that were soaked with gore.
"Yes," said Wulf, "I never thought of that. Who would, in such ahurry?"
"Lady Masouda," asked Godwin, "when last I saw you you werehanging from those jaws. Say, are you hurt?"
"Nay," she answered, "for I wear mail like you, and the teethglanced on it so that she held me by the cloak only. Come, let usskin the beast, and take its pelt as a present to the lordAl-je-bal."
"Good," said Godwin, "and I give you the claws for a necklace."
"Be sure that I will wear them," she answered, and helped Wulf toflay the lioness while he sat by resting. When it was done Wulfwent to the little cave and walked into it, to come out againwith a bound.
"Why!" he said, "there are more of them in there. I saw theireyes and heard them snarl. Now, give me a burning branch and Iwill show you, brother, that you are not the only one who canfight a lion."
"Let be, you foolish man," broke in Masouda. "Doubtless those areher cubs, and if you kill them, her mate will follow us formiles; but if they are left safe he will stay to feed them. Come,let us begone from this place as swiftly as we can."
So having shown them the skin of the lion, that they might knowit was but a dead thing, at the sight of which they snorted andtrembled, they packed it upon one of the mules and rode offslowly into a valley some five miles away, where was water but notrees. Here, since Godwin needed rest, they stopped all that dayand the night which followed, seeing no more of lions, thoughthey watched for them sharply enough. The next morning, havingslept well, he was himself again, and they started forwardthrough a broken country towards a deep cleft, on either side ofwhich stood a tall mountain.
"This is Al-je-bal's gateway," said Masouda, "and tonight weshould sleep in the gate, whence one day's ride brings us to hiscity."
So on they rode till at length, perched upon the sides of thecleft, they saw a castle, a great building, with high walls, towhich they came at sunset. It seemed that they were expected inthis place, for men hastened to meet them, who greeted Masoudaand eyed the brethren curiously, especially after they had heardof the adventure with the lion. These took them, not into thecastle, but to a kind of hostelry at its back, where they werefurnished with food and slept the night.
Next morning they went on again to a hilly country with beautifuland fertile valleys. Through this they rode for two hours,passing on their way several villages, where sombre-eyed peoplewere labouring in the fields. From each village, as they drewnear to it, horsemen would gallop out and challenge them, whereonMasouda rode forward and spoke with the leader alone. Then hewould touch his forehead with his hand and bow his head and theyrode on unmolested.
"See," she said, when they had thus been stopped for the fourthtime, "what chance you had of winning through to Masyafunguarded. Why, I tell you, brethren, that you would have beendead before ever you passed the gates of the first castle."
Now they rode up a long slope, and at its crest paused to lookupon a marvellous scene. Below them stretched a vast plain, fullof villages, cornfields, olive-groves, and vineyards. In thecentre of this plain, some fifteen miles away, rose a greatmountain, which seemed to be walled all about. Within the wallwas a city of which the white, flat-roofed houses climbed theslopes of the mountain, and on its crest a level space of landcovered with trees and a great, many-towered castle surrounded bymore houses.
"Behold the home of Al-je-bal, Lord of the Mountain," saidMasouda, "where we must sleep to-night. Now, brethren, listen tome. Few strangers who enter that castle come thence living. Thereis still time; I can pass you back as I passed you hither. Willyou go on?"
"We will go on," they answered with one breath.
"Why? What have you to gain? You seek a certain maiden. Why seekher here whom you say has been taken to Salah-ed-din? Because theAl-je-bal in bygone days swore to befriend one of your blood. Butthat Al-je-bal is dead, and another of his line rules who took nosuch oath. How do you know that he will befriend you--how that hewill not enslave or kill you? I have power in this land, why orhow does not matter, and I can protect you against all that dwellin it--as I swear I will, for did not one of you save my life?"and she glanced at Godwin, "except my lord Sinan, against whom Ihave no power, for I am his slave."
"He is the enemy of Saladin, and may help us for his hate'ssake."
"Yes, he is the enemy of Salah-ed-din now more than ever. He mayhelp you or he may not. Also," she added with meaning, "you maynot wish the help he offers. Oh!" and there was a note ofentreaty in her voice, "think, think! For the last time, I prayyou think!"
"We have thought," answered Godwin solemnly; "and, whateverchances, we will obey the command of the dead."
She heard and bowed her head in assent, then said, looking upagain:
"So be it. You are not easily turned from your purpose, and Ilike that spirit well. But hear my counsel. While you are in thiscity speak no Arabic and pretend to understand none. Also drinknothing but water, which is good here, for the lord Sinan setsstrange wines before his guests, that, if they pass the lips,produce visions and a kind of waking madness in which you mightdo deeds whereof you were afterwards ashamed. Or you might swearoaths that would sit heavy on your souls, and yet could not bebroken except at the cost of life."
"Fear not," answered Wulf. "Water shall be our drink, who havehad enough of drugged wines," for he remembered the Christmasfeast in the Hall at Steeple.
"You, Sir Godwin," went on Masouda, "have about your neck acertain ring which you were mad enough to show to me, astranger--a ring with writing on it which none can read save thegreat men that in this land are called the dais. Well, as itchances, the secret is safe with me; but be wise; say nothing ofthat ring and let no eye see it."
"Why not?" asked Godwin. "It is the token of our dead uncle tothe Al-je-bal."
She looked round her cautiously and replied:
"Because it is, or was once, the great Signet, and a day may comewhen it will save your lives. Doubtless when the lord who is deadthought it gone forever he caused another to be fashioned, solike that I who have had both in my hand could not tell the twoapart. To him who holds that ring all gates are open; but to letit be known that you have its double means death. Do youunderstand?"
They nodded, and Masouda continued:
"Lastly--though you may think that this seems mu
ch to ask--trustme always, even if I seem to play you false, who for your sakes,"and she sighed, "have broken oaths and spoken words for which thepunishment is to die by torment. Nay, thank me not, for I do onlywhat I must who am a slave--a slave."
"A slave to whom?" asked Godwin, staring at her.
"To the Lord of all the Mountains," she answered, with a smilethat was sweet yet very sad; and without another word spurred onher horse.
"What does she mean," asked Godwin of Wulf, when she was out ofhearing, "seeing that if she speaks truth, for our sakes, inwarning us against him, Masouda is breaking her fealty to thislord?"
"I do not know, brother, and I do not seek to know. All her talkmay be a part of a plot to blind us, or it may not. Let wellalone and trust in fortune, say I."
"A good counsel," answered Godwin, and they rode forward insilence.
They crossed the plain, and towards evening came to the wall ofthe outer city, halting in front of its great gateway. Here, asat the first castle, a band of solemn-looking mounted men cameout to meet them, and, having spoken a few words with Masouda,led them over the drawbridge that spanned the first rock-cutmoat, and through triple gates of iron into the city. Then theypassed up a street very steep and narrow, from the roofs andwindows of the houses on either side of which hundreds ofpeople--many of whom seemed to be engaged at their eveningprayer--watched them go by. At the head of this street theyreached another fortified gateway, on the turrets of which, somotionless that at first they took them to be statues cut instone, stood guards wrapped in long white robes. After parley,this also was opened to them, and again they rode through tripledoors.
Then they saw all the wonder of that place, for between the outercity where they stood and the castle, with its inner town whichwas built around and beneath it yawned a vast gulf over ninetyfeet in depth. Across this gulf, built of blocks of stone, quiteunrailed, and not more than three paces wide, ran a causeway sometwo hundred yards in length, which causeway was supported uponarches reared up at intervals from the bottom of the gulf.
"Ride on and have no fear," said Masouda. "Your horses aretrained to heights, and the mules and mine will follow."
So Godwin, showing nothing in his face of the doubt that he feltin his heart, patted Flame upon the neck, and, after hanging backa little, the horse started lifting its hoofs high and glancingfrom side to side at the terrible gulf beneath. Where Flame wentSmoke knew that it could go, and came on bravely, but snorting alittle, while the mules, that did not fear heights so long as theground was firm beneath their feet, followed. Only Masouda'shorse was terrified, backed, and strove to wheel round, till shedrove the spur into it, when of a sudden it started and came overat a gallop.
At length they were across, and, passing under another gatewaywhich had broad terraces on either side of it, rode up the longstreet beyond and entered a great courtyard, around which stoodthe castle, a vast and frowning fortress. Here a white-robedofficer came forward, greeting them with a low bow, and with himservants who assisted them to dismount. These men took the horsesto a range of stables on one side of the courtyard, whither thebrethren followed to see their beasts groomed and fed. Then theofficer, who had stood patiently by the while, conducted themthrough doorways and down passages to the guest chambers, large,stone-roofed rooms, where they found their baggage ready forthem. Here Masouda said that she would see them again on thefollowing morning, and departed in company with the officer.
Wulf looked round the great vaulted chamber, which, now that thedark had fallen, was lit by flickering lamps set in ironbrackets upon the wall, and said:
"Well, for my part, I had rather pass the night in a desert amongthe lions than in this dismal place."
Scarcely were the words out of his lips when curtains swung asideand beautiful women entered, clad in gauzy veils and bearingdishes of food. These they placed upon the ground before them,inviting them to eat with nods and smiles, while others broughtbasins of scented water, which they poured over their hands. Thenthey sat down and ate the food that was strange to them, but verypleasant to the taste; and while they ate, women whom they couldnot see sang sweet songs, and played upon harps and lutes. Winewas offered to them also; but of this, remembering Masouda'swords, they would not drink, asking by signs for water, which wasbrought after a little pause.
When their meal was done, the beautiful women bore away thedishes, and black slaves appeared. These men led them to bathssuch as they had never seen, where they washed first in hotwater, then in cold. Afterwards they were rubbed withspicy-smelling oils, and having been wrapped in white robes,conducted back to their chamber, where they found beds spread forthem. On these, being very weary, they lay down, when thestrange, sweet music broke out afresh, and to the sound of itthey fell asleep.
When they awoke it was to see the light streaming through thehigh, latticed windows.
"Did you sleep well, Godwin?" asked Wulf.
"Well enough," answered his brother, "only I dreamed thatthroughout the night people came and looked at me."
"I dreamed that also," said Wulf; "moreover, I think that it wasnot all a dream, since there is a coverlet on my bed which wasnot there when I went to sleep."
Godwin looked at his own, where also was another coverlet added,doubtless as the night grew colder in that high place.
"I have heard of enchanted castles," he said; "now I think thatwe have found one."
"Ay," replied Wulf, "and it is well enough while it lasts."
They rose and dressed themselves, putting on clean garments andtheir best cloaks, that they had brought with them on the mules,after which the veiled women entered the room with breakfast, andthey ate. When this was finished, having nothing else to do, theymade signs to one of the women that they wished for clothswherewith to clean their armour, for, as they had been bidden,they pretended to understand no word of Arabic. She nodded, andpresently returned with a companion carrying leathers and pastein a jar. Nor did they leave them, but, sitting upon the ground,whether the brethren willed it or no, took the shirts of mail andrubbed them till they shone like silver, while Godwin and Wulfpolished their helms, spurs, and bucklers, cleansing their swordsand daggers also, and sharpening them with a stone which theycarried for that purpose.
Now as these women worked, they began to talk to each other in alow voice, and some of their talk, though not all, the brethrenunderstood.
"A handsome pair truly," said the first. "We should be fortunateif we had such men for husbands, although they are Franks andinfidels."
"Ay," answered the other; "and from their likeness they must betwins. Now which of them would you choose?"
Then for a long while they discussed them, comparing them featureby feature and limb by limb, until the brethren felt their facesgrow red beneath the sunburn and scrubbed furiously at theirarmour to show a reason for it. At length one of the women said:
"It was cruel of the lady Masouda to bring these birds into theMaster's net. She might have warned them."
"Masouda was ever cruel," answered the other, "who hates all men,which is unnatural. Yet I think if she loved a man she would lovehim well, and perhaps that might be worse for him than her hate."
"Are these knights spies?" asked the first.
"I suppose so," was the answer, "silly fellows who think thatthey can spy upon a nation of spies. They would have done betterto keep to fighting, at which, doubtless, they are good enough.What will happen to them?"
"What always happens, I suppose--a pleasant time at first; then,if they can be put to no other use, a choice between the faithand the cup. Or, perhaps, as they seem men of rank, they may beimprisoned in the dungeon tower and held to ransom. Yes, yes; itwas cruel of Masouda to trick them so, who may be but travellersafter all, desiring to see our city."
Just then the curtain was drawn, and through it entered Masoudaherself. She was dressed in a white robe that had a dagger workedin red over the left breast, and her long black hair fell uponher shoulders, although it was half hid by the veil, open infront,
which hung from her head. Never had they seen her look sobeautiful as she seemed thus.
"Greetings, brothers Peter and John. Is this fit work forpilgrims?" she said in French, pointing to the long swords whichthey were sharpening.
"Ay," answered Wulf, as they rose and bowed to her, "for pilgrimsto this--holy city."
The women who were cleaning the mail bowed also, for it seemedthat here Masouda was a person of importance. She took thehauberks from their hands.
"Ill cleansed," she said sharply. "I think that you girls talkbetter than you work. Nay, they must serve. Help these lords todon them. Fools, that is the shirt of the grey-eyed knight. Giveit me; I will be his squire," and she snatched the hauberk fromtheir hands, whereat, when her back was turned, they glanced atone another.
"Now," she said, when they were fully armed and had donned theirmantles, "you brethren look as pilgrims should. Listen, I have amessage for you. The Master"--and she bowed her head, as did thewomen, guessing of whom she spoke--"will receive you in an hour'stime, till when, if it please you, we can walk in the gardens,which are worth your seeing."
So they went out with her, and as they passed towards the curtainshe whispered:
"For your lives' sake, remember all that I have told you--aboveeverything, about the wine and the ring, for if you dream thedrink-dream you will be searched. Speak no word to me save ofcommon matters."
In the passage beyond the curtain white-robed guards werestanding, armed with spears, who turned and followed them withouta word. First they went to the stables to visit Flame and Smoke,which whinnied as they drew near. These they found well-fed andtended--indeed, a company of grooms were gathered round them,discussing their points and beauty, who saluted as the owners ofsuch steeds approached. Leaving the stable, they passed throughan archway into the famous gardens, which were said to be themost beautiful in all the East. Beautiful they were indeed,planted with trees, shrubs, and flowers such as are seldom seen,while between fern-clad rocks flowed rills which fell over deepcliffs in waterfalls of foam. In places the shade of cedars layso dense that the brightness of day was changed to twilight, butin others the ground was open and carpeted with flowers whichfilled the air with perfume. Everywhere grew roses, myrtles, andtrees laden with rich fruits, while from all sides came the soundof cooing doves and the voices of many bright-winged birds whichflashed from palm to palm.
On they walked, down the sand-strewn paths for a mile or more,accompanied by Masouda and the guard. At length, passing througha brake of whispering, reed-like plants, of a sudden they came toa low wall, and saw, yawning black and wide at their very feet,that vast cleft which they had crossed before they entered thecastle.
"It encircles the inner city, the fortress, and its grounds,"said Masouda; "and who lives to-day that could throw a bridgeacross it? Now come back."
So, following the gulf round, they returned to the castle byanother path, and were ushered into an ante-room, where stood awatch of twelve men. Here Masouda left them in the midst of themen, who stared at them with stony eyes. Presently she returned,and beckoned to them to follow her. Walking down a long passagethey came to curtains, in front of which were two sentries, whodrew these curtains as they approached. Then, side by side, theyentered a great hall, long as Stangate Abbey church, and passedthrough a number of people, all crouched upon the ground. Beyondthese the hall narrowed as a chancel does.
Here sat and stood more people, fierce-eyed, turbaned men, whowore great knives in their girdles. These, as they learnedafterwards, were called the fedai, the sworn assassins, who livedbut to do the command of their lord the great Assassin. At theend of this chancel were more curtains, beyond which was aguarded door. It opened, and on its further side they foundthemselves in full sunlight on an unwalled terrace, surrounded bythe mighty gulf into which it was built out. On the right andleft edges of this terrace sat old and bearded men, twelve innumber, their heads bowed humbly and their eyes fixed upon theground. These were the dais or councillors.
At the head of the terrace, under an open and beautifully carvedpavilion of wood, stood two gigantic soldiers, having the reddagger blazoned on their white robes. Between them was a blackcushion, and on the cushion a black heap. At first, staring outof the bright sunlight at this heap in the shadow, the brethrenwondered what it might be. Then they caught sight of the glitterof eyes, and knew that the heap was a man who wore a black turbanon his head and a black, bell-shaped robe clasped at the breastwith a red jewel. The weight of the man had sunk him down deepinto the soft cushion, so that there was nothing of him to beseen save the folds of the bell-shaped cloak, the red jewel, andthe head. He looked like a coiled-up snake; the dark andglittering eyes also were those of a snake. Of his features, inthe deep shade of the canopy and of the wide black turban, theycould see nothing.
The aspect of this figure was so terrible and inhuman that thebrethren trembled at the sight of him. They were men and he was aman, but between that huddled, beady-eyed heap and those two tallWestern warriors, clad in their gleaming mail and colouredcloaks, helm on brow, buckler on arm, and long sword at side, thecontrast was that of death and life.