第58章 The City of Al-Je-Bal(2)

"Why? What have you to gain? You seek a certain maiden.Why seek her here whom you say has been taken to Salah-ed-din? Because the Al-je-bal in bygone days swore to befriend one of your blood.But that Al-je-bal is dead, and another of his line rules who took no such oath.How do you know that he will befriend you--how that he will not enslave or kill you? I have power in this land, why or how does not matter, and I can protect you against all that dwell in it--as I swear I will, for did not one of you save my life?"and she glanced at Godwin, "except my lord Sinan, against whom Ihave no power, for I am his slave."

"He is the enemy of Saladin, and may help us for his hate's sake.""Yes, he is the enemy of Salah-ed-din now more than ever.He may help you or he may not.Also," she added with meaning, "you may not wish the help he offers Oh! " and there was a note of entreaty in her voice, "think, think! For the last time, I pray you think!""We have thought," answered Godwin solemnly; "and, whatever chances, we will obey the command of the dead."She heard and bowed her head in assent, then said, looking up again:

"So be it.You are not easily turned from your purpose, and Ilike that spirit well.But hear my counsel.While you are in this city speak no Arabic and pretend to understand none.Also drink nothing but water, which is good here, for the lord Sinan sets strange wines before his guests, that, if they pass the lips, produce visions and a kind of waking madness in which you might do deeds whereof you were afterwards ashamed.Or you might swear oaths that would sit heavy on your souls, and yet could not be broken except at the cost of life.""Fear not," answered Wulf."Water shall be our drink, who have had enough of drugged wines," for he remembered the Christmas feast in the Hall at Steeple.

"You, Sir Godwin," went on Masouda, "have about your neck a certain ring which you were mad enough to show to me, a stranger--a ring with writing on it which none can read save the great men that in this land are called the dais.Well, as it chances, the secret is safe with me; but be wise; say nothing of that ring and let no eye.see it.""Why not?" asked Godwin."It is the token of our dead uncle to the Al-je-bal."She looked round her cautiously and replied:

"Because it is, or was once, the great Signet, and a day may come when it will save your lives.Doubtless when the lord who is dead thought it gone forever he caused another to be fashioned, so like that I who have had both in my hand could not tell the two apart.To him who holds that ring all gates are open; but to let it be known that you have its double means death.Do you understand?"They nodded, and Masouda continued:

"Lastly--though you may think that this seems much to ask--trust me always, even if I seem to play you false, who for your sakes,"and she sighed, "have broken oaths and spoken words for which the punishment is to die by torment.Nay, thank me not, for I do only what I must who am a slave--a slave.""A slave to whom?" asked Godwin, staring at her.

"To the Lord of all the Mountains," she answered, with a smile that was sweet yet very sad; and without another word spurred on her horse.

"What does she mean," asked Godwin of Wulf, when she was out of hearing, "seeing that if she speaks truth, for our sakes, in warning us against him, Masouda is breaking her fealty to this lord?""I do not know, brother, and I do not seek to know.All her talk may be a part of a plot to blind us, or it may not.Let well alone and trust in fortune, say I.""A good counsel," answered Godwin, and they rode forward in silence.

They crossed the plain, and towards evening came to the wall of the outer city, halting in front of its great gateway.Here, as at the first castle, a band of solemn-looking mounted men came out to meet them, and, having spoken a few words with Masouda, led them over the drawbridge that spanned the first rock-cut moat, and through triple gates of iron into the city.Then they passed up a street very steep and narrow, from the roofs and windows of the houses on either side of which hundreds of people--many of whom seemed to be engaged at their evening prayer--watched them go by.At the head of this street they reached another fortified gateway, on the turrets of which, so motionless that at first they took them to be statues cut in stone, stood guards wrapped in long white robes.After parley, this also was opened to them, and again they rode through triple doors.

Then they saw all the wonder of that place, for between the outer city where they stood and the castle, with its inner town which was built around and beneath it yawned a vast gulf over ninety feet in depth.Across this gulf, built of blocks of stone, quite unrailed, and not more than three paces wide, ran a causeway some two hundred yards in length, which causeway was supported upon arches reared up at intervals from the bottom of the gulf.

"Ride on and have no fear," said Masouda."Your horses are trained to heights, and the mules and mine will follow."So Godwin, showing nothing in his face of the doubt that he felt in his heart, patted Flame upon the neck, and, after hanging back a little, the horse started lifting its hoofs high and glancing from side to side at the terrible gulf beneath.Where Flame went Smoke knew that it could go, and came on bravely, but snorting a little, while the mules, that did not fear heights so long as the ground was firm beneath their feet, followed.Only Masouda's horse was terrified, backed, and strove to wheel round, till she drove the spur into it, when of a sudden it started and came over at a gallop.