第100章

"ALLAH-U-KABAR"

Travelling through the night,--Naomi laughing and singing snatches in her new-found joy, and the Mahdi looking back at intervals at the huge outline of Tetuan against the blackness of the sky,--they came to the hut by Semsa before dawn of the following day.But they had come too late.Israel ben Oliel was not, after all, to set out for England.

He was going on a longer journey.His lonely hour had come to him, his dark hour wherein none could bear him company.On a mattress by the wall he lay outstretched, unconscious, and near to his end.

Two neighbours from the village were with him, and but for these he must have been alone--the mighty man in his downfall deserted by all save the great Judge and God.

What Naomi did when the first shock of this hard blow fell upon her, what she said, and how she bore herself, it would be a painful task to tell.Oh, the irony of fate! Ay, the irony of God! That scene, and what followed it, looked like a cruel and colossal jest--none the less cruel because long drawn out and as old as the days of Job.

It was useless to go out in search of a doctor.The country was as innocent of leechcraft as the land of Canaan in the days of Abraham.

All they could do was to submit, absolutely and unconditionally.

They were in God's hands.

The light was coming yellow and pink through the window under the eaves as Israel awoke to consciousness.He opened his eyes as if from sleep, and saw Naomi beside him.No surprise did he show at this, and neither did he at first betray pleasure.Dimly and softly he looked upon her, and then something that might have been a smile but for lack of strength passed like sunshine out of a cloud across his wasted face.Naomi pressed a pillow-under his loins, and another under his head, thinking to ease the one and raise the other.

But the iron hand of unconsciousness fell upon him again, and through many hours thereafter Naomi and the Mahdi sat together in silence with the multitudinous company of invisible things.

During that interval Fatimah came in hot haste, and they had news of Tetuan.The Spaniards had taken the town, but Abd er-Rahman and most of his Ministers had escaped.Ben Aboo had tried to follow them, but he had been killed in the alcove of the patio.Ali had killed him.

He had rushed in upon him through a line of his guards.

One of the guards had killed Ali.The brave black lad had fallen with the name of Israel on his lips and with a dauntless shout of triumph.

The Kasbah was afire; it had been burning since the banquet of the night before.

Towards sunset peace fell upon Israel ben Oliel, and then they knew that the end was very near.Naomi was still kneeling at his right hand, and the Mahdi was standing at his left.Israel looked at the girl with a world of tenderness, though the hard grip of death was fast stiffening his noble face.More than once he glanced at the Mahdi also as if he wished to say something, and yet could not do so, because the power of life was low; but at last his voice found strength.

"I have left it too late," he said."I cannot go to England."Naomi wept more than ever at the sound of these faltering words, and it was not without effort that the Mahdi answered him.

"Think no more of that," he said, and then he stopped, as if the word that he had been about to speak had halted on his tongue.

"It is hard to leave her," said Israel, "for she is alone;and who will protect her when I am gone?""God lives," said the Mahdi, "and He is Father to the fatherless.""But what Jew," said Israel, "would not repeat for her her father's troubles, and what Muslim could save her from her own?""Who that trusts in God," said the Mahdi, "need fear the Kaid?""But what man can save her?" cried Israel again.

And then the Mahdi, touched by Naomi's tears as well as her father's importunities, answered out of a hot heart and said--"Peace, peace! If there is no one else to take her, from this day forward she shall go with me."Naomi looked up at him then with such a light in her beautiful eyes as he has often since, but had never before seen there, and Israel ben Oliel who had been holding at his hand, clutched suddenly at his wrist.

"God bless you!" he said, as well as he could for the two angels, the angel of love and the angel of death, were struggling at his throat.

Israel looked steadily at the Mahdi for a moment more, and then said very softly--"Death may come to me now; I am ready.Farewell, my father!

I tried to do your bidding.Do you remember your watchword?

But God _has_ given me rewards for repentance--see," and he turned his eyes towards the eyes of Naomi with a wasting yet sunny smile.

"God is good," said the Mahdi; "lie still, lie still,"and he laid his cool hand on Israel's forehead.

"I am leaving her to you," said Israel; "and you alone can protect her of all men living in this land accursed of God, for God's right arm is round you.Yes, God is good.As long as you live you will cherish her.

Never was she so dear to me as now, so sweet, so lovable, so gentle.

But you will be good to her.God is very good to me.Guard her as the apple of your eye.It will reward you.And let her think of me sometimes--only sometimes.Ah! how nearly I shipwrecked all this!

Remember! Remember!"