A FRIEND INDEED
The oblivion into which our hero had fallen did not last long, the
suspension of brain-power was but passing and soon gave place to
dreams. With that extraordinary irony of reduced mental power these
dreams were of the most beautiful description; all the agony he had
suffered had passed away, and he dreamt that he was in a gorgeous
garden on the banks of his beloved Danube; all around him the most
beautiful fountains played, and people were wandering about terraces
and lawns dressed in lovely white flowing robes. Many of the faces
he saw about him were those of the friends of his earlier
associations, and they smiled and bowed to him as they passed by
where he was reclining. No one seemed to speak, and a silence too
peaceful and delightful for words reigned everywhere.
In the distance beyond the limits of this perfect place, he saw many
dark shadows, in each of which he could distinctly trace the figures
of dusky Egyptians vainly endeavouring to reach him, but, as each
one made the attempt, he was beaten back by the heavy fall of some
terrible weapon. Suddenly the scene changed and he was seated on a
throne. On every side the white-robed figures stood waiting for him
to speak; this he was vainly attempting to do, but at each effort a
terrible pain passed over him and the words remained unuttered. At
last a big fountain began to play in front of where he sat, and the
spray, in falling, played over his throne, saturating him and every
one around; then his tongue seemed released, and he suddenly awoke
to find himself lying upon a comfortable bed, with Mariam Abagi
stooping over him bathing his back. The moment he regained
consciousness the agony of his position burst upon him with terrible
force. Racking pains shot all through his body, until he felt that
he must shriek aloud; he could move neither hand nor foot, for, at
each effort, his pain was redoubled, and he lay still, moaning
piteously.
At last the bathing that Mariam was administering began to soothe
him, he felt easier, and his moans lessened. As time went on they
ceased altogether, and the bathing was at once discontinued.
He was now aware of everything that had happened, and longed to ask
his nurse to tell him all that had occurred after the flogging had
ceased. Once he made an effort to speak, but Mariam restrained him
by giving him something to drink. After that he slept.
When next he awoke there were several people in the room. Mariam was
seated at his side, and Naoum stood near, while several dusky
figures were waiting in the background. He found that he had been
turned on to his back, and he felt very little pain until he
attempted to move, when he at once realized that he had better make
no further effort in that direction.
"Where am I, Mariam? In prison still?" he asked in feeble tones.
The old woman's face relaxed from its stern expression and became
wreathed in a wrinkled smile, which set George's heart at rest
before she uttered a word.
"Yes, my son, still in prison, but with those around you who will no
more allow harm to reach you. We only found you out just in time, or
you would have seen the light of day no more. Your enemies were
clever, and attacked you quickly to prevent our interference, but
the news was brought to us and we hurried to your assistance. You
are now in safety."
George thought for a moment, his eyes resting on Naoum's face,
everything became quite clear to him, and he remembered, though
indistinctly, the angry tones he had heard before he became
unconscious, and was wondering if they were Mariam's.
"Did you come yourself?" he next asked her. "Ah," as she nodded, "I
remember your voice."
"Yes, I was indeed angry, and had to exert all my power before the
wretched Pasha would release you."
The old woman's look as she uttered these words was one of intense
hatred, and boded, as George thought, but little mercy should ever
opportunity arise for the man who had attempted to defy her. Again
he caught himself wondering at the power of these two strange
people. His reflections were put a stop to as the sound of Naoum's
voice fell on his ear.
"I will leave you, mother; he will recover now, and, under your
administering, rapidly. See that you tell him the news I have
brought you. There is much work for us all, and his share of it will
require a healthy body."
As he finished speaking, Naoum turned and left the room, followed by
the rest of his onlookers, whom Helmar quickly surmised were
servants.
Mariam alone remained, intent upon the care of her patient. Her eyes
never for one moment left the thin and drawn face on the pillow
before her, anticipating, with the solicitous care of a mother,
every need for his comfort.
"How long do you think it will be before I can get up?" asked George
suddenly, after a long pause. "My back feels much better already.
To-morrow?"
"No, no, my son. Not to-morrow or the day after, neither will you
get up for some days to come," replied the old woman, shaking her
head. "You have been injured almost unto death, and your recovery
must surely be slow. As Naoum said, there is work to be done in
which you will have to bear your part, and, to that end, we must
take the greatest care of you. Now, listen, to-night I shall come
again, when I shall have news of the greatest importance to
communicate to you; by that time you will be sufficiently refreshed
to listen, and for the while you must sleep."
She then administered an opiate and left him. In a few moments he
was again buried in profound slumber. It was not until the morrow
that he awoke; it was broad daylight when he did so, and while he
waited for the coming of Mariam he scanned the apartment in which he
was a prisoner. Evidently it was a room unused for the retention of
people in custody, for it was fitted up in luxurious style. The
walls were hung with heavy tapestries, and the floor was carpeted
with Eastern rugs. The window he observed was unbarred, and this
alone brought him a sense of comfort and repose that he could never
have felt, in spite of Mariam's assurances, had the ominous gratings
obtruded their sinister presence. The window was sheltered from the
intense rays of the burning sun outside by a protecting lattice, and
this kept the atmosphere pleasantly cool within; he sighed as he
mentally thanked his kindly friends for their goodness to him--a
stranger. Several times his thoughts reverted to the wretches who
had so cruelly flogged him, and vividly he traced his arch-enemy
Arden's hand in all his sufferings; he was too weak to rouse himself
to indignation, but he could not forget his inhuman treatment.
Presently his nurse entered, and his wounds were at once attended
to. After submitting to the process he felt much relieved, and lay
back, prepared to listen to the promised news, when his protectress
should be disposed to deliver it.
"And now, Mariam, what about the news you have to tell me? I am
quite strong enough to listen."
"Yes, I think I can safely tell you. You must not let anything I
have to say excite you." She paused for a moment, as if to think how
best to express herself, but, as she observed her patient's growing
irritation at the delay, plunged into the subject at once.
"The information you were supposed to possess has already been
communicated to Arabi. The silence and apparent inactivity of the
British Commanders have now taken the form of a definite plan, and
the Pasha is aware that they intend advancing against him from the
direction of Port Said, through Ismalia on the canal. Against this
Arabi will bring his army to meet them at some place on the railway,
in the hopes of driving them back to the Suez. If this succeeds he
will then destroy the canal, the further to hamper their movements."
"Yes, but is he aware of his opponent's strength? Surely they would
not advance unless in overwhelming numbers?" George broke in. "Psha!
The man must be mad to hope for success!"
"That of course remains to be seen," said Mariam slowly. "Naoum's
people bring us word that soldiers have been landing ever since the
beginning of the war, but Arabi's people, probably to encourage the
rebellion, say no, that the British army is but a puny affair."
"What fools!" said Helmar. "They'll find out their mistake before
long, and get such a smashing up that they won't forget in a hurry."
"Yes," said the old woman, "that we know, but all this will take a
long time, and by the time the blow is ready to fall, I must get you
well enough for the work before you."
Mariam paused, as if weighing her words. George was at once all
interest. Something was coming, he felt sure, that was of even
greater importance than the conflict and probable overthrow of
Arabi. Mariam, he knew, never spoke lightly, and when she hinted at
work that, apparently, could only be carried out by himself, it must
indeed be of an urgent character.
"But what is this work you speak of in such solemn tones? Surely, it
cannot be as important as the downfall of this arch-rebel, Arabi?"
"Listen, and I will tell you; then you can judge for yourself as to
its importance. Naoum's people have discovered a cruel plot. Arabi,
influenced by his wicked advisers, has arranged that, should he fail
in his campaign against the British, should he receive one
overwhelming defeat, then, to avenge himself upon his conquerors, at
a word from him, Cairo will be burned to the ground."
"The villain!" exclaimed George. "He would ruin thousands of his own
people for the sake of revenge on others! And this is the man to
whom the misguided Arabs trust the emancipation of their country!"
"You must not excite yourself, my son," said Mariam, alarmed at the
effect of her words on the invalid. "What I have said is the truth,
but the scheme can be stayed through you. Naoum and I, whose
interests do not entirely lie in this city, intend to thwart him for
the sake of humanity, but without you our object will be difficult
to accomplish."
"Yes, yes," said George, impatiently. "But how can I stop it? I am
at best but one man, and a prisoner, and," ruefully glancing at his
nurse, "by the present signs, not likely to be able to get about
for a month."
"All that we have taken into consideration," replied Mariam, calmly.
"Your help in our plans will not be needed for some days yet, and by
that time I hope to have you well and strong; but, in the meantime,
we cannot care for you too well, for your enemies are powerful, and
Naoum will have to keep an impenetrable shield over you while you
lie here on a bed of sickness."
Helmar remained silent, thinking of the deep significance of
Mariam's words. Evidently, he gathered from them, there was some
very desperate enterprise in which they required him to take part.
What was the nature of a scheme that could require such a solemn
preamble?
"And what is required of me?" he asked, presently.
Mariam smiled, with a look of maternal affection in her calm, hollow
eyes.
"In the first place to get well as soon as possible. Do not delay
that desired end by worrying about the future. Everything that can
be done by us for your safety will be attended to, and when the time
comes, you shall be acquainted with what is required of you. You
must rest content with what I have told you. The reason for telling
you so much and no more is that you must see the importance of
getting well as soon as possible."
George had to be content; no persuasion could draw from her
anything more of the scheme with which she and her son determined to
thwart Arabi. Many times he tried to get her to speak, but she would
only shake her head and refuse to reply, so at last he gave it up
and devoted himself to recovering from the effects of his flogging.
His recovery, despite the unremitting attention of his nurse, was
somewhat slow; the frightful mauling he had received from the cruel
kourbash had done its work well, but at last his terrible
lacerations began to heal. His constitution did wonders for him; he
was young and of strong vitality, and this, aided by Mariam's
wonderful skill, brought him to the turning-point, and finally
safety was reached.
It was some days, however, ere he rose from that bed of sickness,
and when he did, the stalwart young athlete was hardly recognizable
when he staggered from his bed to a chair. Notwithstanding his stern
old nurse's fortitude, there was no mistaking the look of relief in
her worn face when that day arrived. All her patience, all her
untiring energy had not been in vain, she had helped to save his
life, as she hoped to save, through him, the lives of thousands of
poor souls in the beautiful city of Cairo.
George's strength came apace; every day saw him nearer the desired
end. His bones, which at first had been almost bursting through his
skin, quickly regained their wonted appearance, and he began to
feel now that if there was any work for him to do there must be no
further delay.
One evening he was seated beside the open window, Mariam was busying
herself with arranging his supper, when he broached the subject that
was ever in his thoughts.
"Mariam," he said, without turning his head, "tell me about the work
that you and Naoum require of me. Is there yet time, or has my
recovery been too long delayed?"
The old woman ceased in her preparations and came beside him. Just
as she was about to speak a draught blew across her face, and she at
once stepped to the window and closed it.
"The wind blows cold in the room to-night," she exclaimed, with a
troubled look on her face. "I like it not. To-morrow we shall have
you laid up again."
She looked round the room as she spoke, as if to discover where the
draught came from. Failing to discover its source, she turned again
to her companion.
"The time is even now at hand," she said, with deliberation.
"To-morrow, Naoum will be here, when he will explain everything that
you should know. Remember, every word that he speaks with you must
be graven on your heart, nothing must be forgotten, for the lives of
thousands of innocent souls depend upon your undertaking."
At this moment a sound attracted her attention and she turned round
with a look of uneasiness in her eyes. Presently she continued--
"I ask not, in my own name, that you should do aught to show the
gratitude you may feel for what has been done for you, but if you
feel that gratitude you have so often expressed, show it by carrying
out Naoum's instructions to you as if your life depended upon it,
and the debt will be largely on our side."
Without waiting for reply, she left the room.
So engrossed were these two in the subject of their conversation,
that neither observed the shaking tapestry on the wall, or the faint
exclamation that proceeded from it, as Mariam took her departure.