The heritage of Paraclete was among the oaks of Bashan, a lofty land, rising suddenly from the Jordan valley, verdant6 and well watered, and clothed in many parts with forest; there the host of Lothair resided among his lands and people, and himself dwelt in a stone and castellated building, a portion of which was of immemorial antiquity7, and where he could rally his forces and defend himself in case of the irruption and invasion of the desert tribes. And here one morn arrived a messenger from Jerusalem summoning Lothair back to that city, in consequence of the intended departure of his friends.
The call was urgent, and was obeyed immediately with that promptitude which the manners of the East, requiring no preparation, admit. Paraclete accompanied his guest. They had to cross the Jordan, and then to trace their way till they reached the southern limit of the plain of Esdraelon, from whence they counted on the following day to reach Jerusalem. While they were encamped on this spot, a body of Turkish soldiery seized all their horses, which were required, they said, by the Pacha of Damascus, who was proceeding8 to Jerusalem, attending a great Turkish general, who was on a mission to examine the means of defence of Palestine on the Egyptian side. This was very vexatious, but one of those incidents of Eastern life against which it is impossible to contend; so Lothair and Paraclete were obliged to take refuge in their pipes beneath a huge and solitary9 sycamore-tree, awaiting the arrival of the Ottoman magnificoes.
They came at last, a considerable force of cavalry10, then mules11 and barbarous carriages with the harem, all the riders and inmates12 enveloped13 in what appeared to be winding-sheets, white and shapeless; about them eunuchs and servants. The staff of the pachas followed, preceding the grandees14 who closed the march, mounted on Anatolian chargers.
Paraclete and Lothair had been obliged to leave the grateful shade of the sycamore-tree, as the spot had been fixed15 on by the commander of the advanced guard for the resting-place of the pachas. They were standing16 aside and watching the progress of the procession, and contemplating17 the earliest opportunity of representing their grievances18 to high authority, when the Turkish general, or the seraskier, as the Syrians inaccurately19 styled him, suddenly reined20 in his steed, and said, in a loud voice, “Captain Muriel!”
Lothair recognized the well-known voice of his commanding officer in the Apennine, and advanced to him with a military salute21. “I must first congratulate you on being alive, which I hardly hoped,” said the general. “Then let me know why you are here.”
And Lothair told him.
“Well, you shall have back your horses,” said the general; “and I will escort you to El Khuds. In the mean time you must be our guest;” and he presented him to the Pacha of Damascus with some form. “You and I have bivouacked in the open air before this, and not in so bland22 a clime.”
Beneath the shade of the patriarchal sycamore, the general narrated23 to Lothair his adventures since they were fellow-combatants on the fatal field of Mentana.
“When all was over,” continued the general, “I fled with Garibaldi, and gained the Italian frontier at Terrni. Here we were of course arrested by the authorities, but not very maliciously24. I escaped one morning, and got among the mountains in the neighborhood of our old camp. I had to wander about these parts for some time, for the Papalini were in the vicinity, and there was danger. It was a hard time; but I found a friend now and then among the country people, though they are dreadfully superstitious25. At last I got to the shore, and induced an honest fellow to put to sea in an open boat, on the chance of something turning up. It did, in the shape of a brigantine from Elba bound for Corfu. Here I was sure to find friends, for the brotherhood26 are strong in the Ionian Isles27. And I began to look about for business. The Greeks made me some offers, but their schemes were all vanity, worse than the Irish. You remember our Fenian squabble? From something that transpired28, I had made up my mind, so soon as I was well equipped, to go to Turkey. I had had some transactions with the house of Cantacuzene, through the kindness of our dear friend whom we will never forget, but will never mention; and through them I became acquainted with the Prince of Samos, who is the chief of their house. He is in the entire confidence of Aali Pacha. I soon found out that there was real business on the carpet. The Ottoman army, after many trials and vicissitudes29, is now in good case; and the Porte has resolved to stand no more nonsense either in this direction—” and the general gave a significant glance—“or in any other. But they wanted a general; they wanted a man who knew his business. I am not a Garibaldi, you know, and never pretended to be. I have no genius, or volcanic30 fire, or that sort of thing; but I do presume to say, with fair troops, paid with tolerable regularity31, a battery or two of rifled cannon32, and a well-organized commissariat, I am not afraid of meeting any captain of my acquaintance, whatever his land or language. The Turks are a brave people, and there is nothing in their system, political or religious, which jars with my convictions. In the army, which is all that I much care for, there is the career of merit, and I can promote any able man that I recognize. As for their religion, they are tolerant and exact nothing from me; and if I had any religion except Madre Natura, I am not sure I would not prefer Islamism; which is at least simple, and as little sacerdotal as any organized creed33 can be. The Porte made me a liberal offer, and I accepted it. It so happened that, the moment I entered their service, I was wanted. They had a difficulty on their Dalmatian frontier; I settled it in a way they liked. And now I am sent here with full powers, and am a pacha of the highest class, and with a prospect34 of some warm work. I do not know what your views are, but, if you would like a little more soldiering, I will put you on my staff; and, for aught I know, we may find your winter-quarters at Grand Cairo—they say a pleasant place for such a season.”
“My soldiering has not been very fortunate,” said Lothair; “and I am not quite as great an admirer of the Turks as you are, general. My mind is rather on the pursuits of peace, and twenty hours ago I had a dream of settling on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.”
“Whatever you do,” said the general, “give up dreams.”
“I think you may be right in that,” said Lothair, with half a sigh.
“Action may not always be happiness,” said the general; “but there is no happiness without action. If you will not fight the Egyptians, were I you, I would return home and plunge35 into affairs. That was a fine castle of yours I visited one morning; a man who lives in such a place must be able to find a great deal to do.”
“I almost wish I were there, with you for my companion,” said Lothair.
“The wheel may turn,” said the general; “but I begin to think I shall not see much of Europe again. I have given it some of my best years and best blood; and, if I had assisted in establishing the Roman republic, I should not have lived in vain; but the old imposture36 seems to me stronger than ever. I have got ten good years in me yet; and, if I be well supported and in luck, for, after all, every thing depends on fortune, and manage to put a couple of hundred thousand men in perfect discipline, I may find some consolation37 for not blowing up St. Peter’s, and may do something for the freedom of mankind on the banks of the Danube.”
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1
slumbering
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的现在分词形式） | |
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2
remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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3
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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4
memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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5
primitive
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| adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物 | |
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verdant
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| adj.翠绿的，青翠的，生疏的，不老练的 | |
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7
antiquity
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| n.古老；高龄；古物，古迹 | |
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8
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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9
solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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10
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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11
mules
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| 骡( mule的名词复数 )； 拖鞋； 顽固的人； 越境运毒者 | |
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12
inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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13
enveloped
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| v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14
grandees
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| n.贵族，大公，显贵者( grandee的名词复数 ) | |
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15
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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16
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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17
contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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18
grievances
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| n.委屈( grievance的名词复数 )；苦衷；不满；牢骚 | |
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19
inaccurately
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| 不精密地，不准确地 | |
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reined
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| 勒缰绳使（马）停步( rein的过去式和过去分词 )； 驾驭； 严格控制； 加强管理 | |
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21
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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narrated
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| v.故事( narrate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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maliciously
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| adv.有敌意地 | |
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superstitious
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| adj.迷信的 | |
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brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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27
isles
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| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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28
transpired
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| （事实，秘密等）被人知道( transpire的过去式和过去分词 )； 泄露； 显露； 发生 | |
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29
vicissitudes
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| n.变迁，世事变化；变迁兴衰( vicissitude的名词复数 )；盛衰兴废 | |
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30
volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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31
regularity
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| n.规律性，规则性；匀称，整齐 | |
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32
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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33
creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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34
prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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35
plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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36
imposture
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| n.冒名顶替，欺骗 | |
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37
consolation
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| n.安慰，慰问 | |
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