I Did Not
Understand That The Girl Had Been Actually Given Up Whilst I
Remained At Nablus, But Dthemetri Certainly Did Not Desist From His
Instances Until He Had Satisfied Himself By Some Means Or Other
(For Mere Words Amounted To Nothing) That The Promise Would Be
Actually Performed.
It was not till I had quitted Syria, and when
Dthemetri was no longer in my service, that this villainous, though
well-motived trick, of his came to my knowledge.
Mysseri, who had
informed me of the step which had been taken, did not know it
himself until some time after we had quitted Nablus, when Dthemetri
exultingly confessed his successful enterprise. I know not whether
the engagement which my zealous dragoman extorted from the Governor
was ever complied with. I shudder to think of the fate which must
have befallen poor Mariam if she fell into the hands of the
Christians.
CHAPTER XXVI - THE PROPHET DAMOOR
For some hours I passed along the shores of the fair lake of
Galilee; then turning a little to the westward, I struck into a
mountainous tract, and as I advanced thenceforward, the lie of the
country kept growing more and more bold. At length I drew near to
the city of Safed. It sits as proud as a fortress upon the summit
of a craggy height; yet because of its minarets and stately trees,
the place looks happy and beautiful. It is one of the holy cities
of the Talmud, and according to this authority, the Messiah will
reign there for forty years before He takes possession of Sion.
The sanctity and historical importance thus attributed to the city
by anticipation render it a favourite place of retirement for
Israelites, of whom it contains, they say, about four thousand, a
number nearly balancing that of the Mahometan inhabitants. I knew
by my experience of Tabarieh that a "holy city" was sure to have a
population of vermin somewhat proportionate to the number of its
Israelites, and I therefore caused my tent to be pitched upon a
green spot of ground at a respectful distance from the walls of the
town.
When it had become quite dark (for there was no moon that night) I
was informed that several Jews had secretly come from the city in
the hope of obtaining some assistance from me in circumstances of
imminent danger; I was also informed that they claimed my aid upon
the ground that some of their number were British subjects. It was
arranged that the two principal men of the party should speak for
the rest, and these were accordingly admitted into my tent. One of
the two called himself the British vice-consul, and he had with him
his consular cap, but he frankly said that he could not have dared
to assume this emblem of his dignity in the daytime, and that
nothing but the extreme darkness of the night rendered it safe for
him to put it on upon this occasion.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 148 of 170
Words from 77707 to 78206
of 89094