a ride across palestine-第6部分

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found　myself　lying　with　my　head　in　his　lap。　　I　had　slept；　but　it
could　have　been　but　for　a　few　minutes；　and　when　I　woke　I　found　his
hand　upon　my　brow。　　As　I　started　up　he　said　that　the　flies　had　been
annoying　me；　and　that　he　had　not　chosen　to　waken　me　as　I　seemed
weary。　　〃It　has　been　that　double　bathing；〃　I　said；　apologetically；
for　I　always　feel　ashamed　when　I　am　detected　sleeping　in　the　day。
〃In　hot　weather　the　water　does　make　one　drowsy。　　By　Jove；　it's
getting　dark；　we　had　better　have　the　horses。〃

〃Stay　half　a　moment；〃　he　said；　speaking　very　softly；　and　laying　his
hand　upon　my　arm；　〃I　will　not　detain　you　a　minute。〃

〃There　is　no　hurry　in　life；〃　I　said。

〃You　promised　me　just　now　you　would　assist　me。〃

〃If　it　be　in　my　power；　I　will。〃

〃Before　we　part　at　Alexandria　I　will　endeavour　to　tell　you　the　story
of　my　troubles；　and　then　if　you　can　aid　me〃　　It　struck　me　as　he
paused　that　I　had　made　a　rash　promise；　but　nevertheless　I　must　stand
by　it　nowwith　one　or　two　provisoes。　　The　chances　were　that　the
young　man　was　short　of　money；　or　else　that　he　had　got　into　a　scrape
about　a　girl。　　In　either　ease　I　might　give　him　some　slight
assistance；　but；　then；　it　behoved　me　to　make　him　understand　that　I
would　not　consent　to　become　a　participator　in　mischief。　　I　was　too
old　to　get　my　head　willingly　into　a　scrape；　and　this　I　must
endeavour　to　make　him　understand。

〃I　will；　if　it　be　in　my　power；〃　I　said。　　〃I　will　ask　no　questions
now；　but　if　your　trouble　be　about　some　lady〃

〃It　is　not；〃　said　he。

〃Well；　so　be　it。　　Of　all　troubles　those　are　the　most　troublesome。
If　you　are　short　of　cash〃

〃No；　I　am　not　short　of　cash。〃

〃You　are　not。　　That's　well　too；　for　want　of　money　is　a　sore　trouble
also。〃　　And　then　I　paused　before　I　came　to　the　point。　　〃I　do　not
suspect　anything　bad　of　you；　Smith。　　Had　I　done　so；　I　should　not
have　spoken　as　I　have　done。　　And　if　there　be　nothing　bad〃

〃There　is　nothing　disgraceful；〃　he　said。

〃That　is　just　what　I　mean；　and　in　that　case　I　will　do　anything　for
you　that　may　be　within　my　power。　　Now　let　us　look　for　Joseph　and　the
mucherry…boy；　for　it　is　time　that　we　were　at　Jericho。〃

I　cannot　describe　at　length　the　whole　of　our　journey　from　thence　to
our　tents　at　Jericho；　nor　back　to　Jerusalem；　nor　even　from　Jerusalem
to　Jaffa。　　At　Jericho　we　did　sleep　in　tents；　paying　so　much　per
night；　according　to　the　tariff。　　We　wandered　out　at　night；　and　drank
coffee　with　a　family　of　Arabs　in　the　desert；　sitting　in　a　ring　round
their　coffee…kettle。　　And　we　saw　a　Turkish　soldier　punished　with　the
bastinado；a　sight　which　did　not　do　me　any　good；　and　which　made
Smith　very　sick。　　Indeed　after　the　first　blow　he　walked　away。
Jericho　is　a　remarkable　spot　in　that　pilgrim　week；　and　I　wish　I　had
space　to　describe　it。　　But　I　have　not；　for　I　must　hurry　on；　back　to
Jerusalem　and　thence　to　Jaffa。　　I　had　much　to　tell　also　of　those
Bedouins；　how　they　were　essentially　true　to　us；　but　teased　us　almost
to　frenzy　by　their　continual　begging。　　They　begged　for　our　food　and
our　drink；　for　our　cigars　and　our　gunpowder；　for　the　clothes　off　our
backs；　and　the　handkerchiefs　out　of　our　pockets。　　As　to　gunpowder　I
had　none　to　give　them；　for　my　charges　were　all　made　up　in
cartridges；　and　I　learned　that　the　guns　behind　their　backs　were　a
mere　pretence；　for　they　had　not　a　grain　of　powder　among　them。

We　slept　one　night　in　Jerusalem；　and　started　early　on　the　following
morning。　　Smith　came　to　my　hotel　so　that　we　might　be　ready　together
for　the　move。　　We　still　carried　with　us　Joseph　and　the　mucherry…boy；
but　for　our　Bedouins；　who　had　duly　received　their　forty　shillings　a
piece；　we　had　no　further　use。　　On　our　road　down　to　Jerusalem　we　had
much　chat　together；　but　only　one　adventure。　　Those　pilgrims；　of　whom
I　have　spoken；　journey　to　Jerusalem　in　the　greatest　number　by　the
route　which　we　were　now　taking　from　it；　and　they　come　in　long
droves；　reaching　Jaffa　in　crowds　by　the　French　and　Austrian　steamers
from　Smyrna；　Damascus；　and　Constantinople。　　As　their　number　confers
security　in　that　somewhat　insecure　country；　many　travellers　from　the
west　of　Europe　make　arrangements　to　travel　with　them。　　On　our　way
down　we　met　the　last　of　these　caravans　for　the　year；　and　we　were
passing　it　for　more　than　two　hours。　　On　this　occasion　I　rode　first；
and　Smith　was　immediately　behind　me；　but　of　a　sudden　I　observed　him
to　wheel　his　horse　round；　and　to　clamber　downwards　among　bushes　and
stones　towards　a　river　that　ran　below　us。　　〃Hallo；　Smith；〃　I　cried；
〃you　will　destroy　your　horse；　and　yourself　too。〃　　But　he　would　not
answer　me；　and　all　I　could　do　was　to　draw　up　in　the　path　and　wait。
My　confusion　was　made　the　worse；　as　at　that　moment　a　long　string　of
pilgrims　was　passing　by。　　〃Good　morning；　sir；〃　said　an　old　man　to　me
in　good　English。　　I　looked　up　as　I　answered　him；　and　saw　a　grey…
haired　gentleman；　of　very　solemn　and　sad　aspect。　　He　might　be
seventy　years　of　age；　and　I　could　see　that　he　was　attended　by　three
or　four　servants。　　I　shall　never　forget　the　severe　and　sorrowful
expression　of　his　eyes；　over　which　his　heavy　eyebrows　hung　low。
〃Are　there　many　English　in　Jerusalem？〃　he　asked。　　〃A　good　many；〃　I
replied；　〃there　always　are　at　Easter。〃　　〃Can　you　tell　me　anything　of
any　of　them？〃　he　asked。　　〃Not　a　word；〃　said　I；　for　I　knew　no　one；
〃but　our　consul　can。〃　　And　then　we　bowed　to　each　other　and　he　passed
on。

I　got　off　my　horse　and　scrambled　down　on　foot　after　Smith。　　I　found
him　gathering　berries　and　bushes　as　though　his　very　soul　were　mad
with　botany；　but　as　I　had　seen　nothing　of　this　in　him　before；　I
asked　what　strange　freak　had　taken　him。

〃You　were　talking　to　that　old　man；〃　he　said。

〃Well；　yes；　I　was。〃

〃That　is　the　relation　of　whom　I　have　spoken　to　you。〃

〃The　d…　he　is！〃

〃And　I　would　avoid　him；　if　it　be　possible。〃

I　then　learned　that　the　old　gentleman　was　his　uncle。　　He　had　no
living　father　or　mother；　and　he　now　supposed　that　his　relative　was
going　to　Jerusalem　in　quest　of　him。　　〃If　so；〃　said　I；　〃you　will
undoubtedly　give　him　leg　bail；　unless　the　Austrian　boat　is　more　than
ordinarily　late。　　It　is　as　much　as　we　shall　do　to　catch　it；　and　you
may　be　half　over　Africa；　or　far　gone　on　your　way　to　India；　before　he
can　be　on　your　track　again。〃

〃I　will　tell　you　all　about　it　at　Alexandria；〃　he　replied；　and　then
he　scrambled　up　again　with　his　horse；　and　we　went　on。　　That　night　we
slept　at　the　Armenian　convent　at　Ramlath；　or　Ramath。　　This　place　is
supposed　to　stand　on　the　site　of　Arimathea；　and　is　marked　as　such　in
many　of　the　maps。　　The　monks　at　this　time　of　the　year　are　very　busy；
as　the　pilgrims　all　stay　here　for　one　night　on　their　routes
backwards　and　forwards；　and　the　place　on　such　occasions　is　terribly
crowded。　　On　the　night　of　our　visit　it　was　nearly　empty；　as　a
caravan　had　left　it　that　morning；　and　thus　we　were　indulged　with
separate　cells；　a　point　on　which　my　companion　seemed　to　lay
considerable　stress。

On　the　following　day；　at　about　noon；　we　entered　Jaffa；　and　put　up　at
an　inn　there　which　is　kept　by　a　Pole。　　The　boat　from　Beyrout；　which
touches　at　Jaffa　on　its　way　to　Alexandria；　was　not　yet　in；　nor　even
sighted；　we　were　therefore　amply　in　time。　　〃Shall　we　sail　to…night？〃
I　asked　of　the　agent。　　〃Yes；　in　all　probability；〃　he　replied。　　〃If
the　signal　be　seen　before　three　we　shall　do　so。　　If　not；　then　not；〃
and　so　I　returned　to　the　hotel。

Smith　had　involuntarily　shown　signs　of　fatigue　during　the　journey；
but　yet　he　had　borne　up　well　against　it。　　I　had　never　felt　called　on
to　grant　any　extra　indulgence　as　to　time　because　the　work　was　too
much　for　him。　　But　now　he　was　a　good　deal　knocked　up；　and　I　was　a
little　frightened　fearing　that　I　had　over…driven　him　under　the　heat
of　the　sun。　　I　was　alarmed　lest　he　should　have　fever；　and　proposed
to　send　for　the　Jaffa　doctor。　　But　this　he　utterly　refused。　　He
would　shut　himself　for　an　hour　or　two　in　his　room；　he　said；　and　by
that　time　he　trusted　the　boat　would　be　in　sight。　　It　was　clear　to　me
that　he　was　very　anxious　on　the　subject；　fearing　that　his　uncle
would　be　back　upon　his　heels　before　he　had　started。

I　ordered　a　serious　breakfast　for　myself；　for　with　me；　on　such
occasions；　my　appetite　demands　more　immediate　attention　than　my
limbs。　　I　also　acknowledge　that　I　become　fatigued；　and　can　lay
myself　at　length　during　such　idle　days　and　sleep　from　hour　to　hour；
but　the　desire　to　do　so　never　comes　till　I　have　well　eaten　and
drunken。　　A　bottle　of　French　wine；　three　or　four　cutlets　of　goats'
flesh；　an　omelet　made　out　of　the　freshest　eggs；　and　an　enormous　dish
of　oranges；　was　the　banquet　set　before　me；　and　though　I　might　have
found　fault　with　it　in　Paris　or　London；　I　thought　that　it　did　well
enough　in　Jaffa。　　My　poor　friend　could　not　join　me；　but　had　a　cup　of
coffee　in　his　room。　　〃At　any　rate　take　a　little　brandy　in　it；〃　I
said　to　him；　as　I　stood　over　his　bed。　　〃I　could　not　swallow　it；〃
said　he；　looking　at　me　with　almost　beseeching　eyes。　　〃Beshrew　the
fellow；〃　I　said　to　myself　as　I　left　him；　carefully　closing　the　door；
so　that　the　sound　should　not　shake　him；　〃he　is　little　better　than　a
woman；　and　yet　I　have　become　as　fond　of　him　as　though　he　were　my
brother。〃

I　went　out　at　three；　but　up　to　that　time　the　boat　had　not　been
signalled。　　〃And　we　shall　not　get　out　to…night？〃　　〃No；　not　to…
night；〃　said　the　agent。　　〃And　what　time　to…morrow？〃　　〃If　she　comes
in　this　evening；　you　will　start　by　daylight。　　But　they　so　manage　her
departure　from　Beyrout；　that　she　seldom　is　here　in　the　evening。〃
〃It　will　be　noon　to…morrow　then？〃　　〃Yes；〃　the　man　said；　〃noon　to…
morrow。〃　　I　calculated；　however；　that　the　old　gentleman　could　not
possibly　be　on　our　track　by　that　time。　　He　would　not　have　reached
Jerusalem　till　late　in　the　day　on　which　we　saw　him；　and　it　would
take　him　some　time　to　obtain　tidings　of　his　nephew。　　But　it　might　be
possible　that　messengers　sent　by　him　should　reach　Jaffa　by　four　or
five　on　the　day　after　his　arrival。　　That　would　be　this　very　day
which　we　were　now　wasting　at　Jaffa。　　Having　thus　made　my
calculations；　I　returned　to　Smith　to　give　him　such　consolation　as　it
might　be　in　my　power　to　afford。

He　seemed　to　be　dreadfully　afflicted　by　all　this。　　〃He　will　have
traced　me　to　Jerusalem；　and　then　again　a