Charidemus’s instructions were to make the best of his way with his charges to Pergamos, and to rejoin the army with all speed, a fast-sailing Sidonian vessel8 being assigned for the service. Both voyages were accomplished9 with unusual speed. But it is probable that in any case the first, made in such delightful10 company, would have seemed too short; the second, with a decisive and exciting campaign in view, too long.
It was early in May when Charidemus left Tyre, and the end of July, when, having accomplished his mission, he landed again at Sidon. Here he was met by an invitation to the palace, where he had the pleasure of meeting Charondas. The young man had been left behind when Alexander set out, to complete his recovery from an attack of illness. King Abdalonymus hospitably11 pressed the friends to prolong their stay with him for some days. Charondas, he said, would be better for a little more rest, while Charidemus wanted refreshment12 after his double voyage. At any other time the offer would have been gladly accepted, for Abdalonymus was a very striking personage. He had been little more than a day labourer when he was suddenly raised to the throne;[228] but power had done nothing to spoil him. He was as frugal13 and temperate14 as ever; and he kept, rarest of possessions in a palace, his common sense. The two friends, however, were eager to set out. The army had already had ten days’ start of them, and the bare idea of any decisive battle being fought before they had come up with it was intolerable.
They were on horseback at dawn the next morning. Their road was up the valley of the Leontes, and then, turning eastward15, between the ranges of Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon. So far as the great ford16 over the Euphrates at Thapsacus there could be no question as to their route. Practically there was only one way, and that was the one which the army had taken. Arrived at the ford they found that they had gained three days. A week still remained to be made up, and this it seemed easy enough to do at the cost of some extra labour and, possibly, a little risk. Darius, it was known, had gathered a vast host more numerous even than that which had been routed at Issus, and was going to make a final struggle for his throne. His whereabouts was not exactly known, but it was certainly somewhere to the eastward of the Tigris, which river would probably be made his first line of defence. Anxious to make his march as little exhausting as possible to his men, Alexander had taken a somewhat circuitous17 line, turning first to the north, in the direction of the Armenian mountains, then striking eastward, and[229] touching18 the Tigris at its lowest ford, some thirty miles above Nineveh. To go straight from Thapsacus to this point would be to save no little time, if it could be done. The two friends resolved to make the experiment.
The first day passed without adventure. The travellers did not see a human creature from morning to evening, and had to spend the night under a terebinth, with no more refreshment than the food which they had had the forethought to carry with them, and a scanty19 draught20 of very muddy water. Their halting-place on the second day seemed to promise much better entertainment. As they drew rein21 beside an inviting22 looking clump23 of trees they were accosted24 by a venerable stranger, who, in broken but intelligible25 Greek, offered them hospitality for the night. Their host showed them a small tent where they would sleep, and made them understand that he should be glad of their company at his own evening meal. Half-an-hour afterwards they sat down to a fairly well-dressed supper, a lamb which had been killed in their honour, barley26 cakes baked on the embers, and palm wine. There was not much conversation, for the old sheikh’s stock of phrases did not go very far, and the two somewhat sullen27 looking youths who made up the company, seemed not to know a word of any language but their own. When the host found that the strangers declined his offer to try another skin of palm-wine,[230] he smilingly wished them good-night. One of the silent young men showed them to their tent, and they were left to repose28.
The hour was still early, and the friends did not feel inclined for sleep. Both had a good deal to say to each other. Besides personal topics they had to talk about the prospects29 of the war, and that a war which seemed to promise adventures of the most exciting kind. It must have been about an hour short of midnight when, just as they were thinking of lying down for the night, their attention was attracted by a slight noise at the tent door. Charondas going, lamp in hand, to see what it meant started back in horror at the sight that met his eyes. A dwarfish30 looking man stood, or rather crouched31 before him. His figure was bent32 almost double by bodily infirmity, it would seem, rather than by age. The long black hair streaked33 with grey, that fell on his shoulders was rough and unkempt, his dress was ragged34 and filthy35. But the horror of the poor wretch36’s appearance was in the mutilation which had been practised upon him. His ears had been cut off; his nostrils37 had been cropped as close as the knife could shear38 them, his right arm had been cut short at the elbow, and his left leg at the knee.
[231]
“Speak on,” said Charidemus, “we feel nothing but pity for a countryman who has been unhappy;” and he took the sufferer’s hand in his own, and pressed it with a friendly grasp.
“I am come to warn you,” said the visitor, “but if I do not first tell you my story you will scarce believe me.”
He paused overcome with emotion.
“I am a native of Crotona, and belonged to a family of physicians. We reckoned among our ancestors the great Democedes, whom the first Darius, as you may remember, honoured and enriched.[57] Some political troubles with which I need not weary you compelled me to leave my country, and I settled[232] at Ephesus. There I did well enough, till in an evil hour I was sent for to prescribe for the satrap of Phrygia. I had acquired, I may say, some reputation for myself, but my name—it is the same as that of my great ancestor—did far more for me. It has made, indeed, the fortune of many a physician of our nation. Well, I cured the satrap, who indeed had nothing worse the matter with him than too much meat and drink. He was very grateful, and bribed41 me by the promise of a great salary—three hundred minas,[58] if you will believe me, gentlemen,” explained the poor wretch with a lingering feeling of pride in his professional success, “he bribed me, I say, to go with him when he returned to court. For a time all went well; then a favourite slave fell ill. The poor lad was in a consumption; not ?sculapius himself could have cured him; and I could do nothing for him, but make his end easy. Masistius—that was my employer’s name—was in a furious rage. He maimed me in the cruel way you see, and sold me for a slave.”
“What! you a free-born Greek,” exclaimed the young men with one voice.
“Yes,” replied the man, “and ’tis no uncommon42 experience, as you will find when you get further into the country. Yes; there are hundreds of Greeks who have suffered the same horrors as you see in me.[233] Well; he sold me as a slave to the villain43 whose meat you have been eating to-night.”
“Do you call him villain?” said Charidemus in surprise. “He seemed kind and hospitable44 enough.”
“Aye, he seems,” replied the man, “that is part of his craft. But for all his amiable45 looks, he is a robber and a murderer. He makes it his business to do away with guests whom he entertains as he has entertained you. Commonly he plies46 them with his accursed palm-wine till they fall into a drunken sleep. When that fails, they are stabbed or strangled. One or two I have contrived47 to warn; but they generally prevent me from coming near the poor wretches48.”
“That is brave of you,” said one of the young men.
“Oh!” was the answer, “I deserve no credit, I am weary of my life, and should be thankful if they would put an end to it, though a sort of hope prevents me from doing it myself. And yet what hope!” he went on in a lower tone, “what can a mutilated wretch such as I am hope for but to escape from the sight of my fellow men? But they leave me alone; I am too valuable to them to be injured. The wretches are never ill themselves, but they set me to cure their cattle and sheep, and I save them a great deal more than the miserable49 pittance50 of food and drink which they give me. But now for what concerns yourselves. The wretch will send his[234] assassins—those two brutal-looking sons mostly do his work for him—about the end of the third watch[59] when a man commonly sleeps his soundest. So you have two hours and more before you. Your horses are picketed51 at the other end of the grove52 from that by which you entered, not where you saw them fastened, that was only done to deceive you. It is just where you see the moon showing itself above the trees. Get to them as quietly as you can, and then ride for your lives. But mind, go westward53, that is, back along the way you came. In about an hour’s time turn sharp to the north. Another hour will bring you to a little stream; cross that, and after you have gone some thousand paces you will come to another clump of trees very like this. Another Sheikh has his encampment there; I am not sure but that he does a little robbery and murder on his own account; but just now he has the merit of being at daggers54 drawn55 with his neighbour here. And he has a kindness for me, for I cured his favourite horse; and if you mention my name to him, I am sure that he will treat you well. And now, farewell!”
“What can we do for you?” said Charidemus, “we are on our way to join the great Alexander; it is such wrongs as yours that he has come to redress56.”
“Do for me!” cried the unhappy man, in a tone of inexpressible bitterness; “forget that you have ever seen me. I should be sorry that any but you[235] should know that Democedes has suffered such wrongs, and yet has been willing to live. But stay—I would gladly see that villain Masistius crucified, if he is still alive, as indeed I trust he is; and you will remember your kind and venerable host of to-night. And now, again, farewell!”
The two friends lost no time in making their way to the spot whence they were to find their horses. A man had been set to watch the animals. Happily for the fugitives57 he had fallen asleep. It went against the grain with them, generous young fellows as they were, to kill him in his slumber58; but, unless they were to alarm the encampment, they had no alternative. His employment, too, showed that he was in the plot. It was not in their owners’ interest that he had been set to watch the horses. With half-averted face Charondas dealt him the fatal blow, and he died without a struggle or a groan59. A short time was spent, for the advantage seemed worth the delay, in muffling60 the horses’ hoofs61. That done, they rode back, quietly at first and then at full speed, by the road by which they had come, till it was time, as they judged, for them to turn off. The day had dawned when they reached the other encampment. The name of Democedes proved as good an introduction to the chief as they could wish. When he further learnt that his guests were officers on their way to join the army of the great Alexander, he was profuse62 in his offers of help and entertainment.[236] They accepted an escort of horsemen who should see them well out of the reach of their treacherous63 host, and under their protection and guidance reached a district where no further danger was to be apprehended64. It was with no small pleasure that at the very moment when the Tigris came in sight their eyes caught the glitter of arms in the distance. The vanguard of the Macedonian army was filing down the slopes that led to the ford.
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1
sojourn
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| v./n.旅居，寄居；逗留 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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3
fortresses
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| 堡垒，要塞( fortress的名词复数 ) | |
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dominions
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| 统治权( dominion的名词复数 )； 领土； 疆土； 版图 | |
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subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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7
eligible
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| adj.有条件被选中的；(尤指婚姻等)合适(意)的 | |
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8
vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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9
accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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10
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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11
hospitably
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| 亲切地，招待周到地，善于款待地 | |
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12
refreshment
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| n.恢复，精神爽快，提神之事物；（复数）refreshments:点心，茶点 | |
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13
frugal
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| adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的 | |
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14
temperate
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| adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的 | |
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15
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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Ford
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| n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过 | |
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17
circuitous
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| adj.迂回的路的，迂曲的，绕行的 | |
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18
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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19
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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20
draught
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| n.拉，牵引，拖；一网（饮，吸，阵)；顿服药量，通风；v.起草，设计 | |
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21
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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clump
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| n.树丛，草丛；vi.用沉重的脚步行走 | |
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24
accosted
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| v.走过去跟…讲话( accost的过去式和过去分词 )；跟…搭讪；（乞丐等）上前向…乞讨；（妓女等）勾搭 | |
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25
intelligible
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| adj.可理解的，明白易懂的，清楚的 | |
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barley
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| n.大麦，大麦粒 | |
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sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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28
repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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prospects
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| n.希望，前途(恒为复数) | |
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30
dwarfish
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| a.像侏儒的，矮小的 | |
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31
crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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32
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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33
streaked
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| adj.有条斑纹的，不安的v.快速移动( streak的过去式和过去分词 )；使布满条纹 | |
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34
ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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filthy
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| adj.卑劣的；恶劣的，肮脏的 | |
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36
wretch
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| n.可怜的人，不幸的人；卑鄙的人 | |
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37
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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38
shear
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| n.修剪，剪下的东西，羊的一岁；vt.剪掉，割，剥夺；vi.修剪，切割，剥夺，穿越 | |
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39
hideous
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| adj.丑陋的，可憎的，可怕的，恐怖的 | |
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40
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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41
bribed
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| v.贿赂( bribe的过去式和过去分词 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
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42
uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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43
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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44
hospitable
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| adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的 | |
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45
amiable
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| adj.和蔼可亲的，友善的，亲切的 | |
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46
plies
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| v.使用（工具）( ply的第三人称单数 )；经常供应（食物、饮料）；固定往来；经营生意 | |
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47
contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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48
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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49
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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50
pittance
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| n.微薄的薪水，少量 | |
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51
picketed
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| 用尖桩围住（picket的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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52
grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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53
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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54
daggers
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| 匕首，短剑( dagger的名词复数 ) | |
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55
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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56
redress
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| n.赔偿，救济，矫正；v.纠正，匡正，革除 | |
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57
fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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58
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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59
groan
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| vi./n.呻吟，抱怨；(发出)呻吟般的声音 | |
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60
muffling
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| v.压抑，捂住( muffle的现在分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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61
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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62
profuse
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| adj.很多的，大量的，极其丰富的 | |
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63
treacherous
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| adj.不可靠的，有暗藏的危险的；adj.背叛的，背信弃义的 | |
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64
apprehended
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| 逮捕，拘押( apprehend的过去式和过去分词 )； 理解 | |
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