CHAPTER IX. A TRIP TO MAHOMET'S PARADISE.
WHILE Roland was descending into the fosse of Saragossa, Mahomet wastaking his afternoon nap in his Paradise. A houri had rolled a cloudunder his head, and he was snoring serenely near the fountain.
The first blow of Durandal's pommel awoke the Prophet.
"Come in," said he, turning round, in no pleasant humour at beingdisturbed. The second stroke put him out still more; and he rang for theangel Namous, and inquired of him who dared to make such an uproar.
"Great Prophet," said the heavenly messenger, "it's that Roland at histricks again. He has undertaken to fling down the walls of Saragossa;and I really can't help trembling for the fate of your followers!"
"I must see to this," said Mahomet; "I feel certain you are exaggeratingas usual, and that my brave Marsillus will not let himself be beaten bya Christian."
The Prophet stepped down into his observatory, and turned his telescopeon Saragossa.
144]
"By the crescent! I never remember anything like it. The dog has themien of a demigod! I am anxious to see him more closely. Etiquette andpropriety will not permit me to go to him. Namous, saddle Borak, andseek Roland. Tell him I shall have much pleasure in seeing him, anddon't fail to bring him."
The Prophet's horse was turned out to graze in the Milky Way. Namouscalled him.
"Come here, Borak. You have browsed enough here; you feed too freely,and will injure yourself. A peck of stars ought to suffice you for onefeed. We have got to descend to earth, and you can hardly stir. If theBlessed Prophet knew it----" With that the angel sprang into his saddle,and began to ply his spurs. In a quarter of an hour they had left theplanets behind them.
When Namous alighted, Saragossa was taken and sacked; and Roland waswondering how on earth to spend the evening. The angel approached himrespectfully and said, "I am Namous, the envoy and familiar ministerof the Prophet. The Lord of the Iva'abah has noted you chief among theChristians, and he desires a visit from you. Be pleased, therefore, tofollow me at once."
"Your master does me a great honour, and one of which many of mybrothers in arms are more deserving than I. You must convey to him myexcuses, and tell him that I lead a very quiet life; that I have myreligious duties to attend to; that, in short, I don't go much intosociety."
"The Prophet will very justly feel surprised and hurt at such an answer.He will demand of me the real reason of your refusal. Are you afraid youmay be led astray by the beauties of his paradise?"
"If you had known Aude, my beloved Aude, that foolish notion would neverhave crossed your mind."
"Are you afraid of a trip through the air?"
"If I thought I might tumble I would set out at once. Fear is a completestranger to me; but I have heard of it so often that I should be anxiousto make its acquaintance."
"You are fatigued with your day's work, perhaps?"
"Offer me an opponent worthy of my sword, and you shall see if it ispossible to weary Roland."
The angel bowed, and prepared to spring into his saddle again. Theattention of the Count of Mans was attracted by Borak, who fretted,pranced, champed his bit, and pawed the ground, impatient to return tohis celestial stable.
"What a fine animal!" said Roland, admiringly.
In truth, one rarely sees one so handsome. Borak was a fine-limbed,high-standing horse, strong in frame, and with a coat as glossy asmarble which is constantly laved by a fountain. His colour was saffron,with one hair of gold for every three of tawny; his ears were restless,pointed like a reed; his eyes large, and full of fire; his nostrilswide and steaming, with a white star on his forehead, a neck gracefullyarched, and decked with a mane soft and silky enough to make a younggirl envious. He had a long, thick tail, that swept the ground.
"It is the Prophet's favourite mount. He has sent it in your especialhonour."
Roland was touched at the delicate attention.
"I wished," continued the angel, "to bring you some quieter animal; butMahomet said you were the best rider he knew, and he was sure you wouldbe able to master it. At the same time," added Namous, treacherously,"if it be that which stops you, I can provide you with other means oftransport."
The Count of Mans simply shrugged his shoulders, and by way of answerleaped into the saddle--despite the weight of his armour--withoutsetting foot in stirrup, or putting hand to mane. Borak swerved aninstant, then dashed into space, scaling the cloud-mountains at fullgallop. The angel spread his wings, and took the lead.
146]
When Roland recovered the surprise, he was as high as the constellationScorpio. He felt anger would be out of place; so, assuring himself thatDurandal was at his side, he resigned himself to circumstances.
The journey was made without difficulty. Only once was the knight indanger of falling, when Borak, scared by a shooting star, which passedbetween his legs, almost unseated him with a buck-jump. At length, afteran ascent of half an hour, the steed paused, while the angel knocked atthe largest of the eight gates of Paradise. As soon as it opened Rolanduttered a cry of admiration.
How can I--with only human language--describe to you so many superhumanwonders? I ought first of all to tell you that all the faculties of ourbrave knight acquired an immense augmentation on passing the thresholdof Paradise. His sight, for instance, although good enough, had onlypermitted him on earth to distinguish objects at an inconsiderabledistance. Imagine his surprise on beholding clearly and minutely themost tiny creatures six or seven hundred leagues off--and that withoutthe laws of perspective being in the least degree deranged. The samething occurred with regard to hearing and smelling. He used subsequentlyto relate the pleasure with which he smelt the perfume of a flower whichhad just come in bloom in a neighbouring state, while listening at thesame time to the song of a bird which was warbling at the opposite pole.His mind, too, had become so enlarged that he felt no inconvenience fromthis vastly increased acuteness of the senses. At one glance he gazedover two thousand square parasangs of country, each parasang beingsomething larger than a league. The virgin forests of America are butbrushwood compared with those he beheld. On all sides were cities ofshining whiteness, surmounted by thousands of spires and cupolas of goldand silver. At the foot of their walls flowed majestic rivers, in whichthe Rhine, the Euphrates, and the Nile would have been swallowedup. Nothing which troubles the inhabitants of earth existed in thisenchanted clime. The lion, the tiger, the serpent, and the leopard werebut the ornaments of the forest. They fed upon the green herbage, andsubmitted to human rule with perfect docility. There was no wind--onlya gentle breeze; no storms--only perfumed showers. It was an Italianclimate beneath an Egyptian sky!
147]
A winged band, commanded by Israfel, the angel of the resurrection, cameto meet Roland.
150]
"The Prophet has sent us to you to announce his approach. Will youfollow us, or will you await him here?"
"I will follow you," said Roland, joining the troop. He saw with wonderthat the forests retired to make way for him; the rivers changed theircourses on his approach. He wished to assure himself that this was nota deception of the mirage, and galloped rapidly towards a lake whichlay beside his route. His horse did not refuse the leap, but the waterrespectfully drew back, and he alighted on level and thickly-blossomedsward.
Israfel, remarking Roland's astonishment, said, "The Prophet has takencare that all here shall do you homage. He is aware that you go throughlife, as through battle, straight at your mark, and he wished to provethat he knew your tastes and habits."
Roland continued his progress until he met the procession, when hehalted to let it pass. The ground, before he was aware of it, rosebeneath his horse's feet, and he found himself in a minute on a mound,from which he gazed down on the crowd. Israfel made a sign: two trees atonce sprang from the soil, and afforded the knight a pleasant shade. TheCount of Mans, in silent astonishment, watched the procession withoutstirring.
First came a thousand horsemen, each bearing a white an
d ruby banner,and mounted on a white charger. Next to these came a thousand more, cladin suits of mail, armed with maces, and riding on bay horses; behindthem came two thousand Berbers from the regions of Timbuctoo, whobrandished lances with green pennons, and bore sword-proof bucklersof rhinoceros hide. Their steeds were as black as their faces. Thenfollowed three thousand more horsemen, with serpent-skin girdles. Theycarried hide shields, and had bows hung at their saddle-pommels. Longlances, furnished with sharp barbs, gleamed in their hands; their horseswere cream-coloured. To these succeeded an army composed of soldiers,as many in number as there are drops in the sky; some were armed withspears or bills, others with javelins or maces. A hundred paces behindthese came eight thousand elephants, in ranks of twenty-five abreast,the first line white, the second black, and so on.
151]
On the back of each was a tower, containing twenty armed men. Behindthese, again, came thirty white elephants, covered with golden stars,and so richly caparisoned you could hardly look at them without winking.On these were borne the favourite wives of the Prophet, twenty on eachelephant. Canopies of dazzling whiteness, raised upon silver columns,shielded them from the sun. Ten thousand chosen warriors formed theirescort. Last came an endless number of camels, laden with palanquins,whose curtains fluttered in the breeze. Each animal was led by arichly-clad Ethiopian, who held the zimzam, or nose-bridle, in hishands. In each palanquin ten houris, far more lovely than anything youcan conceive, fluttered their feather fans.
153]
Then followed twenty thousand dancing girls, attired in light drapery,with bare arms and legs. You saw, as they moved, among their tresses andround their necks, coruscations of precious stones, so bright you werecompelled to shade your eyes. The bracelets that quivered on theirwrists, the bangles that gleamed on their ankles, kept up a musical andenticing tinkling.
Shall I enumerate to you the multitude of female performers on theguitar, the tambourine, and the mandolin, and of the singers as well? Ofwhat use is it to crowd the page with strings of numerals?
These houris were of no common origin. Mahomet had formed their bodiesof musk, saffron, amber, and frankincense. Their faces were so radiantwith beauty, that they diffused a gentle splendour in the night, likethe moon when she mounts above the horizon amid the mists of earth.Their voices were so sweet, that every syllable which fell from theirlips was precious.
After these beauties came the Prophet, attired in a green robe, andseated on a white palfrey. He was dressed with the greatest simplicity,and far from showily mounted, and yet one felt an inward inclination tobend the knee to him as he passed. On his right hand rode his grandsire,Abd el Motalleb; on his left his father, Abdallah; and he was surroundedby Ali, his cousin and most warm disciple; by Said, his adopted heir;by the four sages of Mecca--Waraca, Othman, Obaydallah, and Zaid; bythe fiery Omar, the faithful Aboubeker, and thousands of others just asfamous.
A hundred thousand horsemen brought up the rear of the cavalcade.
As the troops took up their positions, the scenery underwent acomplete change, unobserved of Roland, who was absorbed in watching theprocession. When he cast a look around him, he beheld himself surroundedby mountains whose summits were beyond his ken. These gigantic heights,which were composed of gneiss, mica, agate, onyx, trap, and porphyrywere clothed halfway up by forests whose flora comprised the growths ofall climes. The vast baobab spread its branches in close contiguity toan island of palms, which displayed their delicate foliage against theblue sky. The silvery mohonono contrasted well with the dark motsouri;the moupanda-panda of Central Africa, the jacquier of Malacca, the oakof Europe, mingled their boughs. Rivers, whose source was hidden in theclouds, bounded from rock to rock, flinging up at every obstacle crestsof feathery spray, spanned by rainbows.
155]
The troops occupied positions on the heights. Roland beheld clouds ofwarriors proudly occupying apparently inaccessible peaks. The elephantswere drawn up in two lines, four thousand in each, and the thirty whiteelephants of the Prophet's favourites were grouped in front of them. Andnow angels appeared, who, spreading their wide wings, offered their aidto enable the six hundred chosen beauties to dismount. They alightedclose to the Count of Mans, before whom they bowed low, and then tooktheir places on a carpet spread for them on his right. The camels camenext, and knelt down gently, whereupon the houris sprang from theirpalanquins with a lightness and grace which astonished Roland more thanall. Their feet hardly left an imprint in the sand. Like the favouritesof the harem, they also approached Roland, and, kissing the groundbefore him, ranged themselves on his left. Then like a flood advancedthe troop of celestial dancers, tripping along to the sound ofcastanets, flutes, theorbos, timbrels, guitars, and mandolins, amid loudsinging, accompanied by the most lively strains of music.
The animation of their movements increased or diminished according tothe rhythm, which they marked by accurate beats of the foot and clappingof hands, in slow or quick time. Their eyes were now filled with softlanguor--now darted glances of fire. Balancing themselves from the hips,they swung their bodies and waved their arms with ease and grace. Attimes a comb, unable to imprison such a wealth of tresses, fell out, andfreed locks that were as dark as the night.
But now the Prophet gave the signal: the dances ceased, and the hourisflew, like a flock of frightened birds, to take their position oppositeRoland, and under shelter of the elephants.
Mahomet, in his turn, drew nearer to the nephew of Charlemagne,who immediately dismounted--an act of courtesy to age he invariablyobserved.
"May Allah, who has made all things of earth and heaven, of day andnight, extend his blessing to you in this world and in the one youinhabit! You are welcome," said the Prophet! "I must ask your pardon forthe poverty of this reception, as our meeting has been arranged at suchshort notice that I have only had time to bring as my suite a few ofmy immediate followers, and the troops which happen to be my guard ofhonour for the day. Besides, I feared that in surrounding myself withtoo great pomp, I might seem to be offering a defiance to a late enemy,whom I only desire to make a friend of. If I have not treated you withmore ceremony, it is because I wish to treat you like a brother."
Roland made a wry face, which the Prophet thought it convenient toattribute to the glare of the sun in his eyes, and therefore made a signto four angels, who immediately flew off and spread a rosy cloud beforethe luminary. .
"I accept your explanation," said Roland, coolly, half doubting whetherthe Prophet were not making fun of him. "I have equal need of pardon;but if I have come without a fitting retinue, you must attribute it tomy desire to answer your invitation promptly."
After this exchange of courtesies, Roland commenced the conversation bysaying, "You will forgive me if I beg you at once to inform me what itis that has obtained me the honour of this interview, as I am in a hurryto return to earth. I mount guard to-night in the Emperor's tent, and Inever like to fail in the performance of duty."
"Never fear," said Mahomet; "I'll have the sun put back. We have alltime for our interview."
"I am all attention."
"There is not a more valiant knight than you living. Your single arm isworth an army. Your judgment is sound, your decision speedy----"
"How much do you expect for this panegyric? I warn you, before yougo any further, not to set too high a price on it, as I have a clearestimate of my modest worth."
"I am in the habit of giving far more than I get, so fear not, butsuffer me to proceed. In my youth I was called El Amin--'the Safe Man.'I know that I possess a generous soul, and that none can be more loyalthan you."
"This eulogy is evidently the prologue of some treason you are going toask of me."
"If it be treason to leave a bad cause for a good one, to renounceattempts which are futile, and to accept good fortune when it isoffered, I have, in effect, treason to propose to you."
"By the Trinity! but you are putting a high price on compliments forwhich nobody asked you!"
"I swear by the holy
mountain--by the temple of pilgrimage--by the vaultof heaven and the depths of ocean--that the divine vengeance is aboutto fall! nothing can delay it. The convulsed skies shall totter! theuprooted mountains shall move! I swear by the resting-place of thestar--"
"Of a truth, here is plenty of fine words!" said Roland, shrugging hisshoulders. "When we gallant Christian knights make a statement, theybelieve us without our having to call in the aid of the sky, and sea,and stars."
"As surely as I overthrew the three idols of Mecca, Lata, Aloza, andMenat, the Christians shall be driven from Spain, and their landsinvaded. Their army shall be dispersed, and shall fly shamefully. Theirhour is come, and it will be bitter and terrible."
"I have read all that in the Koran," answered Roland, who felt hispatience failing him. "But that does not say what you want of me, or whyyou are thus wasting my time. Since the future is revealed to you,and you are so certain of our approaching overthrow, there can be noobstacle to my returning to my post."
"Yes, the future is ours. You alone delay the coming of the day ofglory. We shall conquer, but while you live it will be only at the priceof terrible sacrifices that we can purchase victory. Why persistin returning to a world in which death awaits you? I offer you thesovereignty of this realm, its wealth, its women, its warriors. Theinhabitants of air, earth, and water, the stars which move in thefirmament--all that is gifted with reason or instinct, essence andmatter--in one word, everything shall belong to you and owe to youunreserved obedience. If the sun annoys you, the moon shall take itsplace. Give but the sign, and rivers shall dry up to let you pass. Apopulation more vast than all the nations of earth put together shalllive only to serve you. These warriors are brave."
"Of what use is their bravery if they have no enemies to contend with?"
"These horses are more swift than the wind."
"Of what service is their speed, since there is here no goal that Idesire to reach?"
"These women are lovely."
"Their beauty is sheer waste, for I do not love them!"
"Durandal is famous on earth, and yet the humblest of these soldierscould cut it in two with the edge of his poniard."
"Enough!" interposed Roland. "I have already told you I am in a hurry.You have not, I imagine, the impudence to suppose you are rich enough inwonders to induce me to commit a base action--your Allah himself wouldbe ashamed of such a thing. You have told me I am the bravest of livingknights: should I be so if I feared the death you threaten me with? 'Mysingle arm is worth a whole army,' you add. Have I any right, then, todeprive my comrades of its aid at that moment, of all others, when youprofess that they are in danger? 'My judgment is sound:' allow meto offer you a further proof of it by laughing at your menaces, andpredicting your complete overthrow. Mahomet and Jupiter will soon meetand shake hands, and the crescent will be sent where the old moons go."
"You will not listen?"
"I have heard too much already!"
"Behold these lovely creatures, who stretch out their arms towards you!
"They but make me see how far lovelier my Aude is."
"See the lands I offer you!"
"What is a region of wonders compared with the spot where a man wasborn?"
"Roland, by the faith of Mahomet! you shall never again behold the landof France!"
"I am a Christian, besides being a Frenchman. The native land to whichI aspire is Heaven, and that birthplace you cannot prevent me frombeholding once more."
"Infidel hound!" said the Prophet, "I----" But the words were suchas Roland could not listen to patiently. Mahomet did not finish hissentence, for the gauntlet of the knight smote him on the mouth.
159]
160]