In Desert and Wilderness. Henryk Sienkiewicz
way of the Nile—to El-Wasta and to papa!" she began to repeat in a sleepy voice.
As at the previous stop she did not enjoy a full sound sleep, she now fell into that deep sleep which after fatigue comes towards morning. In the meantime the Bedouins drove the camels without a rest and Stas observed that they were making their way towards the interior of the desert.
So, desiring to shake Idris' confidence that he would be able to elude the pursuit, and at the same time to show him that he himself relied upon it as a dead certainty, he said:
"You are driving away from the Nile and from Bahr Yûsuf, but that won't help you, for of course they will not seek you on the banks where villages lie side by side, but in the interior of the desert."
And Idris asked:
"How do you know that we are driving away from the Nile, since the banks cannot be seen from here?"
"Because the sun, which is in the eastern part of heaven, is warming our backs; that means we have turned to the west."
"You are a wise boy," said Idris with esteem.
After a while he added:
"But the pursuing party will not overtake us nor will you escape."
"No," answered Stas, "I shall not escape—unless with her."
And he pointed to the sleeping girl.
Until noon they sped almost without pausing for breath, but when the sun rose high in the sky and began to scorch, the camels, which by nature perspire but little, were covered with sweat, and their pace slackened considerably. The caravan again was surrounded by rocks and dunes. The ravines, which during the rainy season are changed into channels of streams, or so-called "khors," came to view more and more frequently. The Bedouins finally halted in one of them which was entirely concealed amid the rocks. But they had barely dismounted from the camels when they raised a cry and dashed ahead, bending over every little while and throwing stones ahead of them. Stas, who had not yet alighted from the saddle, beheld a strange sight. From among the dry bushes overgrowing the bed of the "khor," a big snake emerged and, gliding sinuously with the rapidity of lightning among the fragments of rocks, escaped to some hiding-place known to itself. The Bedouins chased it furiously and Gebhr rushed to their aid with a knife. But owing to the unevenness of the ground it was difficult either to hit the snake with a stone or to pin it with a knife. Soon all three returned with terror visible on their faces.
And the cries, customary with Arabs, resounded:
"Allah!"
"Bismillah!"
"Mashallah!"
Afterwards both Sudânese began to look with a kind of strange and, at the same time, searching and inquiring gaze at Stas who could not understand what was the matter.
In the meantime Nell also dismounted from her camel, and though she was less tired than during the night, Stas spread for her a saddle-cloth in the shade on a level spot and told her to lie down, in order, as he said, that she might straighten out her little feet. The Arabs prepared their noon meal, which consisted of biscuits and dates, together with a gulp of water. The camels were not watered for they had drank during the night. The faces of Idris, Gebhr and the Bedouins were still dejected, and the stop was made in silence. Finally Idris called Stas aside, and began to question him with a countenance at once mysterious and perturbed.
"Did you see the snake?"
"I did."
"Did you conjure it to appear before us?"
"No."
"Some ill-luck awaits us as those fools did not succeed in killing it."
"The gallows awaits you."
"Be silent! Is your father a sorcerer?"
"He is," answered Stas without any hesitation, for he understood in a moment that those savage and superstitious men regarded the appearance of a reptile as an evil omen and an announcement that the flight would not succeed.
"So then your father sent it to us," answered Idris, "but he ought to understand that we can avenge ourselves for his charms upon you."
"You will not do anything to me as the sons of Fatma would have to suffer for any injury to me."
"And you already understand this? But remember that if it was not for me, your blood would have flowed under Gebhr's courbash—yours and that little 'bint's' also."
"I therefore shall intercede for you only; but Gebhr shall swing on the rope."
At this Idris gazed at him for a while as if with astonishment and said:
"Our lives are not yet in your hands and you already talk to us as our lord—"
After a while he added:
"You are a strange 'uled' (boy), and such a one I have not yet seen.
Thus far I have been kind to you, but take heed and do not threaten."
"God punishes treachery," answered Stas.
It was apparent, however, that the assurance with which the boy spoke in connection with the evil omen in the form of a snake which succeeded in escaping, disquieted Idris in a high degree. Having already mounted the camel he repeated several times: "Yes, I was kind to you," as if in any event he wished to impress this upon Stas' memory, and afterwards he began to finger the beads of a rosary made of the shells of "dum" nuts, and pray.
About two o'clock, though it was in the winter season, the heat became unusual. In the sky there was not a cloudlet, but the horizon's border was disfigured.
Above the caravan hovered a few vultures whose widely outstretched wings cast moving, black shadows on the tawny sands. In the heated air could be smelt an odor like the gas exhaled from burning charcoal. The camels, not ceasing to run, began to grunt strangely. One of the Bedouins approached Idris.
"Some evil is brewing?"
"What, do you think?" asked the Sudânese.
"Wicked spirits awoke the wind slumbering on the western desert, and he rose from the sands and is rushing upon us."
Idris raised himself on the saddle, gazed into the distance, and replied:
"That is so. He is coming from the west and south but is not as furious as a Khamsin."* [* A southwest wind which blows in the spring.]
"Three years ago near Abu-Hamed he buried a whole caravan and did not sweep the sand away until last winter. Ualla! He may have enough strength to stuff the nostrils of the camels and dry up the water in the bags."
"It is necessary that we speed so that he strike us only with a wing."
"We are flying in his eyes and are not able to avoid him."
"The quicker he comes, the quicker he will pass away."
Saying this, Idris struck his camel with a courbash and his example was followed by the others. For some time could be heard the dull blows of the thick whips, resembling the clapping of hands, and the cries of "Yalla." On the southwest the horizon, previously whitish, darkened. The heat continued and the sun scorched the heads of the riders. The vultures soared very high evidently, for their shadows grew smaller and smaller, and they finally vanished entirely.
It became sultry.
The Arabs yelled at the camels until their throats became parched, after which they were silent and a funereal quiet ensued, interrupted only by the groaning of the animals.
Two very small foxes* [* An animal smaller than our foxes, called "fennec."] with big ears stole by the caravan, running in an opposite direction.
The same Bedouin, who had previously conversed with Idris, spoke out again in a strange and as if not his own voice:
"This will not be a usual wind. Evil charms are pursuing us. The snake is to blame for