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The Scapegoat-Part40_Hall Caine(1853-1931)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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Oh, the abomination of desolation! You tear yourselves

in the name of God, but forget His justice and mercy. Away!



You will have your reward. Away! Away!"

At the gate of the Kasbah he demanded to see the Kaid, and,



after various parleyings with the guards and negroes who haunted

the winding ways of the gloomy place, he was introduced



to the Basha's presence. The Basha received him in a room so dark

that he could but dimly see his face. Ben Aboo was stretched on a carpet,



in much the position of a dog with his muzzle on his forepaws.

"Welcome," he said gruffly, and without changing his own



unceremonious posture, he gave the Mahdi a signal to sit.

The Mahdi did not sit. "Ben Aboo," he said in a voice



that was half choked with anger, "I have come again on an errand

of mercy, and woe to you if you send me away unsatisfied."



Ben Aboo lay silent and gloomy for a moment, and then said with a growl,

"What is it now?"



"Where is the daughter of Ben Oliel?" said the Mahdi.

With a gesture of protestation the Basha waved one of the hands



on which his dusky muzzle had rested.

"Ah, do not lie to me," cried the Mahdi. "I know where she is--she is



in prison. And for what? For no fault but love of her father,

and no crime but fidelity to her faith. She has sacrificed the one



and abandoned the other. Is that not enough for you, Ben Aboo?

Set her free."



The Basha listened at first with a look of bewilderment,

and some half-dozen armed attendants at the farther end of the room



shuffled about in their consternation. At length Ben Aboo

raised his head, and said with an air of mock inquiry, "Ya Allah!



who is this infidel?"

Then, changing his tone suddenly, he cried, "Sir, I know who you are!



You come to me on this sham errand about the girl, but that is not

your purpose, Mohammed of Mequinez! Mohammed the Third!



What fool said you were a spy of the Sultan? Abd er-Rahman is here--

my guest and protector. You are a spy of his enemies,



and a revolutionary, come hither to ruin our religion and our State.

The penalty for such as you is death, and by Allah you shall die!"



Saying this, he so wrought upon his indignation, that in spite

of his superstitious fears, and the awe in which he stood of the Mahdi,



he half deceived himself, and deceived his attendants entirely.

But the Mahdi took a step nearer and looked straight into his face,



and said--

"Ben Aboo, ask pardon of God; you are a fool. You talk of putting me



to death. You dare not and you cannot do it."

"Why not?" cried Ben Aboo, with a thrill of voice that was like a swagger.



"What's to hinder me? I could do it at this moment, and no man need know."

"Basha," said the Mahdi, "do you think you are talking to a child?



Do you think that when I came here my visit was not known

to others than ourselves outside? Do you think there are not some



who are waiting for my return? And do you think, too," he cried,

lifting one hand and his voice together, "that my Master in heaven



would not see and know it on an errand of mercy His servant perished?

Ben Aboo, ask pardon of God, I say; you are a fool."



The Basha's face became black and swelled with rage. But he was cowed.

He hesitated a moment in silence, and then said with an air



of braggadocio--

"And what if I do not liberate the girl?"



"Then," said the Mahdi, "if any evil befalls her the consequences shall be

on your head."



"What consequences?" said the Basha.

"Worse consequences than you expect or dream," said the Mahdi.



"What consequences?" said the Basha again.

"No matter," said the Mahdi. "You are walking in darkness,



and do not know where you are going."

"What consequences?" the Basha cried once more.



"That is God's secret," said the Mahdi.

Ben Aboo began to laugh. "Light the infidel out of the Kasbah,"



he shouted to his people.

"Enough!" cried the Mahdi. "I have delivered my message.



Now woe to you, Ben Aboo! A second time I have come to you as a witness,

but I will come no more. Fill up the measure of your iniquity.



Keep the girl in prison. Give her to the Sultan. But know that

for all these things your reward awaits you. Your time is near.



You will die with a pale face. The sword will reach to your soul."

Then taking yet another step nearer, until he stood over the Basha



where he lay on the ground, he cried with sudden passion,




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