Читать книгу Ben Hamed: or, The Children of Fate - Sylvanus Cobb - Страница 6

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ALL the rest of that day Assad was kept busy with his master in counting out money, and making up accounts, and though his brain was in a whirl, yet he made no mistakes. The load of love he carried in his heart was now a joyous burden, though much anxiety and doubt dwelt with it. It was not until the shades of night had fairly settled down over the city, that the youth got his liberty, and then he knew it would be too late to find Mokanna in his shop, so he put off his visit until the following morning. When he retired to his own chamber, he took out the picture and gazed upon it. It seemed as beautiful as ever, but he felt that he had now seen a face more beautiful than this ideal; yet he cherished the picture, and in his soul a new being had sprung up into life; the great fountain had been opened, and there gushed forth those new incentives which changed at once the whole spirit of his existence. He was no longer the slave of the Syndic, in soul, and he had resolved that even the labor of his hands had now a nobler object than such servitude as had heretofore marked his existence. Various were the plans that passed through his mind, and they were as vague as were the dreams that came to him when he slept.

On the next morning Assad was early astir, and without his breakfast he betook himself to the shop of the lamp-mender, and he had the good fortune to find the old man in and engaged in mending an old copper lamp.

"You are at work early, good father," said the youth, as he entered the little shop.

"And you are as early as I," returned Mokanna.

"Ay," resumed Assad, "for I have the utmost reason for it. You gave me a miniature night before last."

"Ah—was it a miniature I gave thee?"

"Didst thou not know it was?"

"How should I know, since the packet was tightly sewed up ere it was placed in my hands?"

"But you also gave the same kind of a packet to Morgiana, the slave girl of Ali Shir."

"I did, my son. And was hers, too, a miniature?"

"Ay, hers was a likeness of myself, though highly flattered, while mine was a likeness of her, as near as such transcendent loveliness can be put upon ivory."

"The painter must be wondrous artful who can impress a noble beauty beyond thine own," said the old man, gazing upon his visitor with a look of admiration.

"Do not flatter me, good father, but tell me whence came those pictures."

"First tell me if you have seen Morgiana."

"Yes, I saw her yesterday morning."

"And have those pictures been of any effect?"

"Ay, most surely, for her heart is wholly mine, and mine is all her own. She loves me, for she has confessed it. O, keep me not in suspense, but tell me whence came those pictures."

"My son, listen to me while I tell you the truth. Who painted those pictures I know not. They were given to me by an old man in this very city, and he obtained from me a promise that I would give the one with the brown leather to Assad, the slave of the Syndic Elkader; and that the one with yellow leather I would give to Morgiana, the slave of the Syndic Ali Shir. I have done his bidding, and can tell you no more."

"But you know more than this. Those cases were never made here, nor were the pictures made here. The devices upon the gold are of Tartar origin, and the setting of the stones looks like the work of some northern craftsman."

"Thou art observing, my son, and may perhaps teach me; but at present seek not to dive into the past. You have enough in the future to occupy your attention."

"But answer me this," urged Assad, with much eagerness and emotion. "Do you not know something of the design of those who caused these cases to be delivered as they have been?"

"I will not deny that, my son."

"Then will you not tell me concerning it?"

Mokanna bowed his head a few moments, and when he again looked up there was an expression of curious import upon his face.

"Surely, my son," he said, "you are too witty not to see that whoever sent those pictures, meant that you and Morgiana should become acquainted with each other; and from such an acquaintance no man would look for anything but love between such as you. Hence you may reasonably infer that 'twas meant that you should love the maiden. Had I come to you and told you of Ali Shir's slave girl, you would never have sought her, for the mere report of beauty is only to the mind, and cannot inspire love; but the presence of the fair girl's face, even though in transcript, appealed at once to the heart, and love was the consequence."

"Ay, most aged father, you speak truly when you say that love was the consequence; but do you realize that the next consequence must be death, if our loves be not consummated in a more perfect union?"

"I understand that," replied Mokanna.

"And yet we are far separated. Morgiana is affianced to the son of the richest merchant in Bagdad, and I am but a simple slave."

"Yet Morgiana is not higher in station than thou. She, too, is a slave, and her master is not so wealthy as thine. But that there is difficulty I will not deny. You have some obstacles to overcome, but firmness and decision may accomplish your purpose."

Assad bowed his head and pondered. He felt assured that the old man knew more than he chose to tell, but he would not question him more. He understood that some strange fate had thrown Morgiana in his way, but whence came this fate he could not conceive, nor did he choose further to pry into the mystery at present. "My life I willingly stake in the enterprise," he said to himself, "and until Morgiana is mine, my life belongs to my fate, and a breath may sweep it away if need be." Thus resolving he turned to Mokanna, and said:

"I know not what may be your friendship for me, but can you help me in my work?"

"I think I can; and if I can, it would hardly be just for me to refuse, since I have been an instrument for bringing you into the work. But ere you call upon me for assistance, you must lay some plan of your own. Have you not made some arrangement for meeting with Morgiana?"

"Partly. We had not time to confer much, for the merchant came back ere we had fairly overcome our first wild emotions. But she will send her young slave girl to me when she has formed some plan for a meeting."

"Then you will meet her without much trouble. So far fortune has favored you, for I had supposed you would find some difficulty in gaining a joint interview with the maiden; but this came unsought. May not the same fortune continue with you? At any rate; you must see Morgiana, and when your plans are formed you may come to me. Only promise me this: that you will not leave the city without my knowledge."

Assad promised as the old man had requested, and after some further conversation of little importance he took his leave. He returned to the house of his master. The Syndic had gone to his place of business, and the youth was preparing to follow, when Marouf appeared and beckoned him one side. The youth obeyed the signal at once.

"Assad," spoke the black, as soon as they had reached a place of safety, "a young slave girl named Gulnare has been waiting here to see you."

"And where is she now?" cried Assad, all excitement.

"She had to go, for she was expected at home, but she said you would meet her in half an hour after the evening prayers at the shop of Khorassan, the jeweller."

"Is that all she told you?"

"Ay, save that she asked of me that I would be secret."

"And thou wilt be secret, Marouf?"

"As death, my loved master."

"God keep thee, my friend, and give thee joy!" uttered Assad. "I know I may trust thee, and even now I tell thee, I may have need of thy assistance in hand, and to show thee how fully I trust thee, I will tell thee my secret. Know, then, that Ali Shir, the Syndic of the merchants, has a slave girl named Morgiana, as beautiful as the evening star, as mild as the full moon, and as radiant as the sun. He means to marry her to his son Hassan, but the girl loves me with her whole soul, and she is as the apple of my eye to me—ay, as the very core of my soul."

"Then, by Allah, O my master, who shall take her from thee? Love is of God, and must be obeyed. I will help thee while my heart beats."

Assad thanked Marouf for his generous friendship, and then went away to the market of the money-changers. His master spoke somewhat severely to him on account of his tardiness, but the youth's mind was filled with thoughts of Morgiana, and he took little heed of the Syndic's severity of manner.