Of tacit accord the cavalcade had halted to admire, when a hubbub arose among the Circassians. Two dead fowls had been discovered beneath the cloak of Nesìb—fowls stolen from the village they had just left. Loud were the cries of shame. Hassan struck the thief on the head with the butt of his carbine, stunning the wretch, who would have fallen had not a loving comrade sustained him. He took the birds and gave them to one more trustworthy, with orders to return to the village and pay the price of them.
“Oh, the sin! Oh, the shame of it!” groaned Shems-ud-dìn.
But Hassan, chancing to overhear, objected, saying:
“Be not too sad, O my soul! Nesìb is a thief even as thou art a saint. It is Allah’s will upon him. He has stolen slippers from the gate of a mosque. And he has his uses. Not for nothing do I admit an Arab in my troop. There are but two of them now among us, Nesìb and one Ali, the friend of Nesìb. Nesìb would not join without Ali, and Nesìb is so useful that we accepted Ali, who serves no purpose on earth, but only hangs upon Nesìb. Ah, our Thief is clever! He would steal the food out of your mouth, and your belly none the wiser.”
Shems-ud-dìn smiled at the description; and their talk continued in a pleasant strain till, having crossed a dry torrent bed in the wady, they began to ascend.
They had lost sight of the city all save the walls, which ran along the top of the rocks above them. Shems-ud-dìn’s face fell sad once more, as he mused upon the mystery of fate, and the uncertainty of what awaited him up there within.
Lepers and other beggars, seated beside the broad, made road, howled to them for alms. Men with donkeys and mules and camels passed up and down before them. The toll of a mighty bell echoed among the stony hills—the bell of the Resurrection, explained Zeyd ebn Abbâs, calling the Nazarenes to prayer. Everything announced their approach to a great city such as few of them had seen in all their lives. Shibli’s excitement knew no bounds. He kept galloping on in front and returning to tell what he had seen, asking answerless questions, laughing and shouting like one possessed.
“Stop! Stop, I say! Are you deaf, all of you? What do you, wearing arms, so great a company? Show your teskerehs before I let you pass.”