He was a tall man, and his beard descended4 upon his breast in waves of silvery whiteness. Yet were his eyes as keen as the eyes of a mountain eagle, and there was no one of all his tribe who could endure hunger and thirst as could Ben Hesed. Not that it was necessary for him to so endure, for was not he lord of all the land that lay betwixt the mountains on the south of the great wilderness5 of Shur, even unto the sea?
"To satisfy the appetite is not always good," he was wont6 to say to his sons. "This will the beasts do whenever they find provender7. Man alone can say to himself, thou shalt fast because I have willed it. Hunger thus endured maketh man king over the beasts; thus is he set apart from them, and so do his thoughts soar above the earth even unto the region of the heavens, where dwelleth Ja, the maker8 of the stars and also of man."
On this day Ben Hesed sat alone in the door of his tent; the sun was sinking, a ball of scarlet9 behind the purple rim10 of the horizon; a group of camels, browsing11 on the scanty12 desert growths, showed black against its fiery13 glow, their shadows stretching long and gaunt across the sand. About the margin14 of a meagre pool close at hand a cluster of palm trees also meagre reared their heads, clasping their dusty fronds15 across the water as if to hide this sacred treasure of the desert from the fierce wooing of the sun.
The voices of the women, coming and going with their water-jars, and the laughter and cooing of half a score of naked brown babies, who lay contentedly16 kicking up their heels in the warm sand, came pleasantly to the ear of Abu Ben Hesed. He cared not that the pool was meagre and the palm trees stunted17, this only made them the more precious and wonderful, more truly the works of Jehovah, who had set them thus in the midst of this great and terrible wilderness, like jewels of price. He had looked upon fruitful lands and great rivers, upon cities also, where men dwelt by hundreds and by thousands, and his soul had grown sick within him at the sight.
"It was not because of their disobedience only," he said, "that Jehovah led the children of Israel for forty years in the desert, but also, because far from the lustful18 fat earth and teeming19 rivers and the abominations of stone and wood that men call cities, he might reveal to them himself."
In palm-shaded fountains, in the beauty of night and morning, and in the flowers which flourished in the arid20 soil of the desert, he beheld21 the love of God. In the deep valleys and solemn mountain crests22 where the seething23 primal24 rock in some remote and terrible time had gathered itself into mighty waves and fantastic pinnacles25, only to stand still forever at the word of the Lord, he perceived his power, and in the blinding, scorching26 whirlwind of sand, before whose withering27 breath nothing mortal could stand, and in whose fiery garments the sun itself seemed smothered28, he saw the wrath29 of Jehovah.
As Abu Ben Hesed mused30 thus within himself, he became aware after a time that a man was coming swiftly towards him out of the desert, his garments girt about him. He slackened not his pace till he came to the spot where Ben Hesed sat in the door of his tent, then he cast himself down before him and rent his garments with a loud cry of grief.
"Woe31 is me, my lord," he cried, when he could find his breath, "I am the bearer of evil tidings."
"Speak, my son," said Ben Hesed, who had recognized in the man one of his herdsmen. "What hath befallen?"
"Thine enemy who dwells in the south-land hath fallen upon the flocks this day and hath carried away of the herds32 a goodly number, of she-camels also and their foals, three, and of the horses, the stallion Dekar."
"And thou livest to tell me this," said Ben Hesed, his eyes burning with anger. "Why didst thou not defend the flocks?"
"Woe is me!" repeated the man, casting the dust upon his head. "I have not yet told the worst; we fought valiantly33, and thy son Eri is slain34, together with Kish, the herdsman. When this befell, we fled before the face of the enemy; the flocks also and the herds are scattered35 as the sand of the desert before the wind, and there is nought36 to hinder them from falling into the hand of the oppressor."
Then Abu Ben Hesed arose and rent his clothes and cast dust upon his head. "Jehovah hath caused me to be smitten," he said. "Nevertheless all his ways are right ways. I should have watched for mine enemy, for he hath grown lusty and flourishing of late. I will get me after him and smite37 him till he shall cry aloud for succor38. Jehovah grant me my desire upon mine enemy! Alas39 for my son Eri! He hath been murderously cut down in the flower of his youth! From the bright morning of his days he hath been plunged40 suddenly into the night of death. But behold41, his blood crieth to me for vengeance42 out of the desert. Let us make haste!"
The terrible news spread throughout the encampment, withering the peaceful evening joy, like the hot breath of a Sirocco. The women ceased their gay incessant43 chatter44 and broke into loud wailing45, and the frightened children wept with fear at the sound.
"Alas! Alas!" cried the mother of the dead man. "Alas for my son! He was straight and comely46 as a palm tree, beautiful also, and pleasant in his speech. Woe! Woe! He will no more open his mouth with kindness, nor will his lips break forth47 with singing."
"Woe! Woe!" shrilled48 the other women, rocking to and fro, and casting the ashes from the dying fire upon their dishevelled heads.
"Morning and evening hath he led forth the flocks!" moaned the mother.
"He will lead them forth no more!" wailed49 her companions.
"Alas for the betrothed50 maiden51! She is desolate52, even as a widow without little ones hath she become!"
"Woe! Woe!"
Through all the clamor of the wailing sounded the clashing of weapons and the neighing of horses, as the men with set teeth and lowering brows made ready for the pursuit of their enemy. Within the hour they departed, a hundred strong, the swift hoofs53 of their horses casting up the dust of the desert behind them, as they vanished, a war-cloud big with storm, into the night.
Before dawn Abu Ben Hesed had seen his desire upon his enemy. They had discovered the marauders as they were making merry with their spoil, and had fallen upon them suddenly, so that they had no time to escape.
The eyes of Ben Hesed were terrible to look upon as he cut down the flying wretches54.
"Let no one of them escape!" he cried aloud. "Slay55 and spare not!"
Afterward56 they gathered the spoil of the dead, together with their own stolen possessions and turned their faces once more toward the north. The heart of Ben Hesed was as lead within his bosom57.
"After all," he thought, "what doth it profit to revenge oneself on an enemy? My son is not restored, nor is my herdsman. Yet it is the law, blood for blood, and the law is good." He raised his eyes wearily, and looked away toward the east, where the dawn was beginning with solemn pomp and splendor58. Long rays of tremulous light flickered59 athwart the cold, clear blue of the heavens, the morning star burned pallid60 amidst the growing radiance, till at last it was swallowed up and lost in the oncoming flood of day. Abu Ben Hesed looked down at his clothing and at his hands which were red with the blood of his enemies. He loathed61 himself at that moment.
"I see something yonder which resembles a man," said his eldest62 son, who rode beside him. "Also a beast, lying down. What can it be, think you, my lord? Another of our enemies who hath perchance escaped us in the darkness?"
Abu Ben Hesed turned his eyes in the direction to which the man pointed63. "It is death," he said quietly. "The vultures are already gathering64 to the feast."
"Nay65, I have seen the figure move. Shall I go and see what the thing may be?"
"Go, my son; if the man be alive, slay him not, but bring him to me unhurt."
The son of Abu obeyed, drawing near the object and circling about it cautiously that he might view it from every side. Presently he dismounted and walked quite up to the thing, his horse following at his heels, and snuffing at the air suspiciously. Two or three great birds with bare flabby necks and red eyes, rose slowly from the ground at his approach and flapped heavily away, croaking66 dismally67. They had been busy on the carcass of a mule68, which lay dead upon the sand, its gay saddle of crimson69 velvet70 hung with silver bells, befouled and draggled. At a little distance, and quite motionless, was a heap of parti-colored drapery, from which protruded71 a slender brown foot.
"A child!" said Ben Abu. "Two of them," he added as he pulled aside the striped covering of cotton cloth which concealed72 their faces. "Dead from thirst," was his verdict after he had turned them over and had noted73 with a certain dimness of his keen vision, their swollen74 tongues and the goat-skin water-bottle which lay beside the lad quite empty.
Then he stood up and blew a long blast on the ram's horn which he carried at his girdle.
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1
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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dweller
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| n.居住者，住客 | |
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descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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wont
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| adj.习惯于；v.习惯；n.习惯 | |
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7
provender
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| n.刍草；秣料 | |
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8
maker
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| n.制造者，制造商 | |
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9
scarlet
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| n.深红色，绯红色，红衣；adj.绯红色的 | |
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rim
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| n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界 | |
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11
browsing
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| v.吃草( browse的现在分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息 | |
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12
scanty
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| adj.缺乏的，仅有的，节省的，狭小的，不够的 | |
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fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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14
margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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15
fronds
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| n.蕨类或棕榈类植物的叶子( frond的名词复数 ) | |
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16
contentedly
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| adv.心满意足地 | |
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stunted
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| adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的 | |
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18
lustful
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| a.贪婪的；渴望的 | |
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19
teeming
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| adj.丰富的v.充满( teem的现在分词 )；到处都是；（指水、雨等）暴降；倾注 | |
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20
arid
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| adj.干旱的；(土地)贫瘠的 | |
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21
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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22
crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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23
seething
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| 沸腾的，火热的 | |
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24
primal
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| adj.原始的；最重要的 | |
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pinnacles
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| 顶峰( pinnacle的名词复数 )； 顶点； 尖顶； 小尖塔 | |
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scorching
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| adj. 灼热的 | |
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withering
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| 使人畏缩的，使人害羞的，使人难堪的 | |
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28
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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29
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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30
mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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31
woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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32
herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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33
valiantly
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| adv.勇敢地，英勇地；雄赳赳 | |
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34
slain
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| 杀死，宰杀，杀戮( slay的过去分词 )； (slay的过去分词) | |
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35
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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36
nought
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| n.／adj.无，零 | |
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smite
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| v.重击；彻底击败；n.打；尝试；一点儿 | |
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38
succor
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| n.援助，帮助；v.给予帮助 | |
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39
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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40
plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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41
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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42
vengeance
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| n.报复，报仇，复仇 | |
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43
incessant
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| adj.不停的，连续的 | |
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44
chatter
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| vi.／n.喋喋不休；短促尖叫；(牙齿)打战 | |
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45
wailing
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的现在分词 )；沱 | |
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46
comely
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| adj.漂亮的，合宜的 | |
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47
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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48
shrilled
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| （声音）尖锐的，刺耳的，高频率的( shrill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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49
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
betrothed
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| n. 已订婚者 动词betroth的过去式和过去分词 | |
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51
maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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52
desolate
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| adj.荒凉的，荒芜的；孤独的，凄凉的；v.使荒芜，使孤寂 | |
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53
hoofs
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| n.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的名词复数 )v.（兽的）蹄，马蹄( hoof的第三人称单数 ) | |
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54
wretches
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| n.不幸的人( wretch的名词复数 )；可怜的人；恶棍；坏蛋 | |
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55
slay
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| v.杀死，宰杀，杀戮 | |
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56
afterward
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| adv.后来；以后 | |
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57
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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58
splendor
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| n.光彩；壮丽，华丽；显赫，辉煌 | |
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59
flickered
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| （通常指灯光）闪烁，摇曳( flicker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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60
pallid
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| adj.苍白的，呆板的 | |
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61
loathed
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| v.憎恨，厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 )；极不喜欢 | |
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62
eldest
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| adj.最年长的，最年老的 | |
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63
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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64
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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65
nay
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| adv.不；n.反对票，投反对票者 | |
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66
croaking
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| v.呱呱地叫( croak的现在分词 )；用粗的声音说 | |
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67
dismally
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| adv.阴暗地，沉闷地 | |
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68
mule
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| n.骡子，杂种，执拗的人 | |
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69
crimson
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| n./adj.深(绯)红色(的)；vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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70
velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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71
protruded
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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72
concealed
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| a.隐藏的，隐蔽的 | |
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73
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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74
swollen
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| adj.肿大的，水涨的；v.使变大，肿胀 | |
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