the two captains-第7章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


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。　　Noweven　if　you　set　me　at　full
libertyI　must　perish　in　the　heat　of　this　barren　desert；　for　want
of　sustenance；　before　I　can　reach　my　lovely　home。〃

〃Is　it；　perhaps；〃　asked　Heimbert；　〃the　oasis　on　which　the　mighty
enchantress；　Zelinda；　dwells？〃

〃Allah　protect　me！〃　cried　the　Arab；　clasping　his　hands。　　〃Zelinda's
wondrous　isle　offers　no　hospitable　shelter　to　any　but　magicians。
It　lies　far　away　in　the　scorching　south；　while　our　friendly　oasis
is　toward　the　cooler　west。〃

〃I　only　asked　in　case　we　might　be　travelling　companions；〃　said
Heimbert　courteously。　　〃If　that　cannot　be；　we　must　certainly　divide
the　provisions；　for　I　would　not　have　so　brave　a　warrior　as　you
perish；　with　hunger　and　thirst。〃

So　saying；　the　young　captain　began　to　arrange　the　provisions　in　two
portions；　placing　the　larger　on　his　left　and　the　smaller　at　his
right；　he　then　desired　the　Arab　to　take　the　former；　and　added；　to　his
astonished　companion；　〃See；　good　sir；　I　have　either　not　much　farther
to　travel　or　I　shall　perish