Timur Lenk did not hasten. He had time to look through the towns in
which the Khan of Aidin had been made to turn somersaults. He also had a
little account to settle with the Sultan of Egypt. It was a short and
gory one. He only took with him the metal gates of the towns--the others
he left behind amongst the ruins. He did not leave one stone upon
another, but he piled up the heads of the inhabitants in heaps.
This was his style of architecture!
When Damascus was burnt down, the tops of the burning cypresses and
cedars and the smoking resin perfumed the plain with their odour ten
miles around. Of the holy town, only one minaret was left standing. It
was that of the altar of the Ommiads, which was covered with lead, and
the metal from it streamed down into the street. The top being of wood,
remained standing. It was this tower which the Khan of Aidin had
ascended by means of ropes, and, according to the Turkish saying, when
the day of resurrection comes, it will be here that the Lord will
descend and give judgment as to life and death.
Whilst Bajazet was collecting his lightning forces, Tamerlan had time to
destroy the three Iron provinces, and as many regiments, together with
the Egyptian Mameluks. The heroic Syrians could not bar his way, and he
made them fly like a cloud of mosquitos or a flock of swallows. Kings
disappeared before him. The only one who escaped--and that by mere
chance--was _Ferndzs_. In token of homage he sent gifts to the great
Shah, nine, in number, of every kind, according to the religious system
of counting in vogue with the Tartars: nine horses, nine camels, nine
female slaves, and eight men slaves. Timur understood by this that it
was intended to represent the sender himself as a ninth fraction, and
for this reason he showed him mercy. Drunk with victory, thirsting for
revenge, and loaded with treasure, Timur left Syria to meet his
mightiest opponent, to whom he had now given time for preparation; and
in the 804th year of the Hedjir, on a bright summer's day, he crossed
the Araxes river!
Bajazet, the "lightning," dreamt a waking dream of revenge as he sat by
Maria's side, and caused his forces to be collected together to await
his opponent's arrival on to the battlefield which was to decide the
fate of the world. Under such a roof of sweet delight no one could talk
of battles. Here even the Sultan did not deplore his lost son; Maria did
not even know that he was the father of sons--men like himself, but
minus grey beards! The Sultana found in her returned husband a return of
all her happiness, and at this joyful moment she remembered the promise
he had made to her before his departure, "Whatever your desire may be,
it shall be fulfilled." And when her husband asked of her "What do you
desire?" she replied:
"Oh! my dear Djildirim, when will you next start against the _Dzsins_?"
"This year, perhaps this very month."
"Oh! how I should like to see a living _Dzsin_."
"That is impossible. A _Dzsin_ is not a doll, my darling. Do you not
know, from the tales your women tell you daily, that if you tread upon a
talisman you will force a spirit to appear who will be always at your
bidding, but who will rend you asunder if you do not keep him
continually employed?"
But she was so delighted with this new idea that she would not allow
herself to forget it for a moment.
Next day she said to Bajazet, "Bring me a _Dzsin_, and be here to order
him about for me!"
"It is impossible. _Dzsins_ do not tolerate the presence of another man
near a woman."
"What idiots the _Dzsins_ must be!"
The third day she said to Bajazet: "My lightning, my love, I have a
desire which I want you to fulfil."
"It is already fulfilled, if you really desire it."
"What I wish is this, that when you next start against the _Dzsins_ you
will take me with you."
Oh! tempting heart of woman!
"My morning star, my darling, what would you do in the midst of battle?
It is a cruel tempest, where lightning rages. The glittering stars have
no place there. The thoughts of your heart are alluring songs heard
amidst the thunder and tempest of the battle. There is no room there for
your sweet soul. If you pass a mown meadow, you weep over every flower
which has been trampled under foot. The battle blood flows from the
cut-down human flowers. How could you see this? You would die at the
sight of it."
But women do not give way.
"I want to see how thousands of Dzsins melt away at your glance; to note
how they fall to the ground when you only look at them. Does not the
song say this? 'They are numerous and come in great numbers. Their
noise, like thunder, makes heaven tremble. My Djildirim steps forward,
and they fall to the ground, and their voices fill hell.' Does not the
song say, 'The opponents' leader is a metal idol, but Bajazet is the
lightning, and the lightning melts the metal.' Does not the song tell
the truth?"
Bajazet had to admit that all was true which the women of the harem sang
about him.
"I wish to see you," urged Maria, "I wish to see you in the blaze of
your glory. I wish to see you as Djildirim, as the lightning which
pursues the enemy! I want to admire you in the height of your glory! I
want to applaud at and delight in your glory! I want to be on the spot,
so that I may weave the wreath, and place it upon your brow, so that,
dazzled by the light of victory upon your face, I may fall at your feet!
Will you not take me with you, my Djildirim?"
The Sultan said, "Let it be so!"
He was excited at the idea of fighting in the presence of his wife, and
of proving to her, who believed him to be an earthly god, that he was
one indeed. The desire being roused in his heart, he was now doubly
thirsty for revenge and also for glory! His wife's eyes would watch his
deeds; therefore they must be magnificent!