A RENEGADE.
IT was a sad day for Guy Muschamp and Walter Espec, when they suddenly
found themselves deprived of the protection of the aged war-chief under
whose banner they had embarked for the East. However, they were not long
without patrons. Guy attached himself to the Lord of Joinville, who was
his mother's kinsman. Walter became squire to the Earl of Salisbury, and
in that capacity joined the English Crusaders. In fact, Longsword,
having heard from Joinville of Walter's adventure at Cyprus, took a
decided liking to the young northern man, examined him as to his
lineage, his parentage, and his education, heard the sad story of his
brother's disappearance, and spoke words of such kind encouragement,
that the tears started to Walter's eyes, and his brave heart was quite
won.
One day, soon after entering Longsword's service, Walter was standing at
the entrance of the tent occupied by the chief of the English Crusaders,
now thinking somewhat sadly of the green fields and oak forests of his
native land, now longing to behold some of the wonders of the Nile, when
a man of forty or thereabouts, handsome and well-dressed as a Frank,
presented himself, and bowed low.
'You are of the English nation?' said he, in French.
'Yes,' replied Walter, examining him with curiosity.
'And you serve the great English lord, who is called Longsword?'
'It is my pride to serve that famous warrior,' replied Walter, quietly.
'And I would fain speak with him if you could obtain me a hearing.'
Walter shook his head significantly.
'Before I can make such an attempt,' said he, 'I must learn who you are,
and what you want.'
'My name is Beltran. I am a Frank by birth, but for nine years I have
been an inhabitant of Egypt.'
'Nine years!' exclaimed Walter. 'By the Holy Cross, you must know the
country well-nigh as intimately as the Egyptians themselves.'
'Much knowledge I do possess of the country, and of the wonders it
contains.'
'Well,' said Walter, 'I will put your knowledge to the test. Whence
comes this river, the Nile, of which so many stories are told? Is it
true that it takes its rise in the terrestrial paradise?'
'In truth,' replied Beltran, 'I would I could answer your question to
your satisfaction. It is the report of the country that the Nile does
come from the terrestrial paradise. But nothing certain is known on the
subject. I have heard that the sultan has attempted to learn whence it
came, by sending experienced persons to follow the course of it.'
'Yes,' said Walter, eagerly.
'These persons, on their return,' continued Beltran, 'reported that they
had followed the river till they came to a large mountain of
perpendicular rocks, which it was impossible to climb, and over these
rocks fell the water. And it seemed to them that on the top of this
mountain were many trees; and they saw strange wild beasts, such as
lions, elephants, and other sorts, which came to gaze at them. And, not
daring to advance further, they returned to the sultan.'
'And this is all that is known?' said Walter.
'Yes,' replied Beltran. 'Where the Nile enters Egypt, it spreads in
branches over the plain. One of them flows to Damietta; a second to
Alexandria; a third to Tunis; and a fourth to Rexi. About St. Remy's Day
it expands itself into seven branches, and thence flows over the plains.
When the waters retire, the labourers appear and till the ground with
ploughs without wheels, and then sow wheat, barley, rice, and cumin,
which succeed so well that nowhere are finer crops.'
'And whence,' asked Walter, 'comes this yearly increase of water?'
'I cannot tell, except that it comes from God's mercy. Some say that
this overflowing is caused by heavy rains in Abyssinia; but many Arabs
believe that a drop of dew falls into the river, and causes the
inundation; and some declare they have seen it fall, like a star. The
night when it falls is called the "drop-night." But certain it is that,
were it not to happen, Egypt, from the great heat, would produce
nothing; for, being near the rising sun, it scarcely ever rains, save at
very long intervals.'
'Of a truth,' observed Walter, 'all this sounds strange to English
ears.'
'Where the river enters Egypt,' continued Beltran, 'there are expert
persons, who may be called the fishermen of this stream, and who, in the
evening, cast their nets into the water, and in the morning frequently
find many spices in them, such as ginger, cinnamon, rhubarb, cloves,
lignum-aloes, and other good things, which they sell by weight.'
'But how come the spices into the water?' enquired Walter.
'Well, it is the belief of the country that they come from the
terrestrial paradise, and that the wind blows them down from these fine
trees, as, in your forests, the wind blows down the old dry wood. But
such is mere surmise, albeit widely credited.'
'And the water of the Nile is deemed sweet to the taste?' said Walter.
'None in the world more sweet. The Arabs hold that, if Mahomet had once
tasted it, he would have prayed that he might live for ever, so as
unceasingly to enjoy its sweetness.'
'And yet it seems so turbid to the eye?'
'True; but, when the natives drink of it, it is clear as crystal.
Towards evening, crowds come down to get water, and especially women,
who, on such occasions, are decorated with all the ornaments they
possess. You must understand that they come in companies, because it is
not deemed decorous for a woman to go alone. And marvellous it is to see
how they balance the water-pots on their head, and walk gracefully up
steep banks which even you--agile as you may be--might have some
difficulty in clambering up without any burden. Then they put into their
vessels almonds or beans, which they shake well; and on the morrow the
water is wondrous clear, and more refreshing than the daintiest wine.'
'On my faith!' said Walter, 'all this is so curious that, were it a time
of truce, I should be tempted to adventure up this river and behold some
of the strange things of which you tell. But here comes my lord.' And,
as he spoke, the Earl of Salisbury rode up, and, while Walter held the
stirrup, dismounted.
Immediately the stranger stepped forward, and, humbling himself, with
respect offered Salisbury some lard in pots, and a variety of
sweet-smelling flowers.
'I bring them to you, noble earl,' said the man, in French, 'because you
are cousin of Prince Richard, who is called Earl of Cornwall, and
because you are nephew of the Crusader whose memory is held in most
respect and dread by the Saracens.'
'Of whom speak you?' asked Salisbury, a little surprised.
'I speak of King Richard of England,' was the reply; 'for he performed
such deeds when he was in the Holy Land that the Saracens, when their
horses are frightened at a bush or a shadow, cry out, "What! dost think
King Richard is there?" In like manner, when their children cry, their
mothers say to them, "Hush, hush! or I will bring King Richard of
England to you."'
'On my faith!' said the earl, looking more and more surprised, 'I cannot
comprehend you; for, albeit speaking French, and wearing the dress of a
Frank, you seem from your words to be an inhabitant of this country.'
'It is true,' replied the man, slowly. 'You must know that I am a
Christian renegade.'
'A Christian renegade!' exclaimed Salisbury, with pious horror. And then
asked, 'But who are you, and why became you a renegade?'
'Well, it came to pass in this wise,' answered the man, frankly. 'I was
born in Poictiers, whence I followed Richard, Earl of Cornwall, to the
East, and found my way to Egypt, where I have acquired some wealth.'
'But,' demanded the earl, indignantly, 'know you not that if you were to
die while leading your present life, you would descend straight to hell,
and be for ever damned?'
'In truth,' replied the man, 'I know full well that there is not a
better religion than that of the Christians. But what can I do? Suppose
I returned to it and had to go back to France, I should assuredly suffer
great poverty, and be continually reproached all my days, and be called
"Renegado! renegado!"'
'Even with that prospect you ought not to hesitate,' said the earl; 'for
surely it would be much better to suffer the scorn of the world than
await your sentence in the day of judgment, when your evil deeds will be
made manifest, and damnation will follow.'
'Nevertheless,' protested the renegade, 'I had rather live at my ease,
as I am, like a rich man, than become an object of contempt.'
'I cannot brook your presence,' said the earl, growing very indignant:
'therefore begone; I can have no more to say to you.'
'Be not over-hasty,' said the renegade; 'for be it known to you, noble
Earl, that I have that to tell which it will profit you much to know.'
'Speak, then,' said the earl, hesitating, 'but be brief; for my patience
is not so long as was my father's sword.'
'It is of a rich caravan I would speak,' said the renegade, with a
glance and a gesture of peculiar significance.
'Ah!' exclaimed the earl, pricking up his ears, and listening with
evident interest.
'It is on its way to Alexandria, and will pass within six leagues of
Damietta within four days,' said the renegade. 'And whoever can capture
that caravan may gain an immense booty.'
'And how does this concern me?' asked the earl.
'My lord,' replied the renegade, 'I see not wherefore you should not
seize the prize as well as another.'
'But how am I to trust your report? How am I to know that your intent is
not to betray me?'
'My lord,' answered the renegade, 'I am in your power. I will answer for
the truth of my story with my head; and, I promise you, I am as yet
neither so old nor so weary of life as to hazard it needlessly.'
'One question further,' said the earl, who was by this time much excited
with the prospect of a rich booty. 'How am I, being in a strange
country, to find this caravan of which you speak?'
'I myself will be your guide,' replied the renegade.
'And wherefore do you hazard so much to put me in possession of this
prize, when, by doing so, you expose yourself to the enmity of the
Egyptians, among whom you have cast your lot?'
'Well, my lord,' said the renegade, after a pause, 'I will be frank. I
expect my share of the spoil; and, besides, I see very clearly that this
army of pilgrims is likely to conquer Egypt, in spite of all the
resistance sultans and emirs may make; and, at such a time, I would fain
have some powerful lord among the conquerors to befriend me.'
'Ha!' exclaimed Longsword, smiling grimly,'I am now convinced.'
'Of what, noble earl?'
'Either that I must have the caravan or your head.'