VI
KANANA AND THE CALIPH
Guided by the black slave, Kanana passed out again under the arch, andwalked the streets of Mecca, caring less and thinking less concerningwhat transpired about him than any one, before or since, who for thefirst time stood in the holy city.
He found the narrow streets densely crowded. Soldiers and merchants,Bedouins and city Arabs mingled with an array of every tribe Arabiacould furnish. There were venders of all things pertaining to thenecessities or luxuries of life; water-carriers with goatskins on theirshoulders; fruit-criers with wooden trays upon their heads; donkeysladen with cumbersome baskets, beneath which they were almost lost tosight; camels carrying packs of a thousand pounds weight upon theirbacks, as though they were bundles of feathers; everything hustling andjostling, men and boys shouting and pushing for the right of way.
They all turned out as best they could, however, for the savage blackslave of the great caliph, and by keeping close behind him Kanana alwaysfound an open space where he could walk without fighting for room.
It was almost the first experience of the Bedouin boy in real city life,and the very first time that his bare feet had ever touched the beatensand of the unpaved streets of his most sacred Mecca.
He turned from the arch, however, without once glancing at theblack-curtained Caaba, the Beitullah, or House of God, toward whichthree times a day he had turned his face in reverent devotion, eversince he had learned to pray.
He followed the black slave onward through the streets, without so muchas looking at the walls of the houses that crowded close on eitherhand.
He had fulfilled his vow. The packet he had sacredly guarded throughmany a hardship and danger and narrow escape was safely delivered. Nowhe was free to carry on the work for which he left the perch and thebirds in the grain-field of the Beni Sad.
Sometimes he thought of the black slave before him, and wondered if,after all, he was quite free. And the thought troubled him.
It seemed as though long years had passed since the day when his fathermet him with the news of Raschid Airikat's capture of his brother. Hehad suffered privations enough for a lifetime since then. More than oncehis life had hung by a slender thread. He could hardly imagine himselfagain sitting up on the perch, frightening the birds away, his life hadso entirely changed; his determination to keep the vow he made hisfather had grown stronger every day; only he realized more themagnitude of the task he had undertaken; and he appreciated his father'swords: "Thou wisp of straw before a fire! Thou reed before a whirlwind!"Still he gathered hope, because he was beginning to understand himself.
The dangers and hardships of one enterprise he had met and overcome, andunder the very shadow of the Caaba, the great caliph of Mecca had calledhim brave.
Now he was eager for the next. There was no vital need of anotherinterview with the caliph, and Kanana thought that if he could onlyescape from the black slave, by darting into a crowded alley, he couldgo at once about his own important business.
For the first time Kanana looked about him. At the moment there was noopportunity, and while he watched for one, the slave turned suddenlyinto a great gate, crossed a court paved with limestone, lifted a reedcurtain, entered one of the most substantial stone structures of Mecca,and indicated to Kanana the apartment in which he was to wait for thecaliph. It was too late to escape. With all the patience and doggedsubmission to destiny so strongly developed in the Bedouin, Kanana satdown upon a rug. There were luxurious ottomans about the room, anddivans taken from the palaces of Persian princes, but the Bedouin boypreferred the desert seat. Much as though he were still upon the perch,he laid his staff beside him and buried his face in his hands. Themagnificence in this chamber of Omar's official residence only disturbedhis thoughts.
He became so deeply buried in his plans that he had entirely forgottenwhere he was, when the rattle of the reed curtain roused him and,starting from his dream, he found the great caliph entering.
Reverently touching his forehead to the floor, Kanana remained prostrateuntil the caliph was seated. Then he rose and stood leaning upon hisstaff while the old ruler silently surveyed him. It seemed to Kananathat his very heart was being searched by those grave and piercing eyes.
Upon the shoulders of the Caliph Omar rested the fate of Islam forfuture ages; his word was law wherever Mohammed was revered. He couldhave little time to waste upon a shepherd boy; yet he sat for a longwhile, silently looking at Kanana. When he spoke, it was only to bid himrepeat, at greater length, the story of how he came by the letter andhow he brought it to Mecca.
"My son," he said, when Kanana had finished, "thou hast done what many abrave man would not have ventured to attempt. Ask what reward thou wiltof me."
"I would have the blessing of the Caliph Omar," Kanana replied.
"That thou shall have, my son; and camels, or sheep, or gold. Ask whatthou wilt."
"I have no use for anything. I ask thy blessing, my father, and thy wordto bid me go."
"Thou art a strange lad," replied the caliph. "Thou art like, and yetunlike the Terror of the Desert. I command thee, my son, say what I canbest do for thee."
"Give me thy blessing, then let me go, my father," repeated Kanana,kneeling. "More than that, if I took it, I should leave at thy gate."
Omar smiled gravely at the boy's obstinacy.
"If I can do nothing for thee, there is yet something which thou canstdo for me. Kahled is the greatest general who fights for the Prophet. Hewill soon reach Bashra, with thirty thousand warriors. He will turn toenter Persia, but these letters must reach him, with my orders that hego again to Syria. Bashra is three weeks from here, and a company ofsoldiers will start to-night to carry the messages, while I send far andwide for the Faithful to join him. It would be well, my son, for thee togo with the soldiers, to give the story to Kahled by word of mouth."
"The way is hard. The sand is deep and dry between Mecca and Bashra,"said Kanana. The caliph looked in some surprise upon the hardy Bedouinboy.
"Hardship should not be hard to thee; but thou shall be carried as onewhom the caliph would honor."
"The way is dangerous. Robbers and hostile tribes are like the sandabout Bashra," added Kanana, who had often heard of the countries alongthe eastern borders of Arabia.
Surprise became astonishment. The caliph exclaimed:
"Thou! son of the Terror of the Desert, speaking of danger?"
"My father, I spoke for thy soldiers," replied Kanana, quickly. "Beforethey reach the sands of Bashra they will be with the five who startedwith this letter. Dost thou believe that Kanana spoke in fear orcowardice? If so, give him the letters, and with thy blessing and thehelp of Allah, he will deliver them to thy Kahled, though every riverrun with fire, and the half of Arabia stand to prevent him!"
"DOST THOU BELIEVE THAT KANANA SPOKE IN FEAR?"]
"Beardless youth!" cried the caliph. "I am too old for mockery."
"My father, without a beard I brought that letter here, and He whoguarded me will guard me still."
"Wouldst thou dare to go without an escort?"
"I would rather have a sword I could not lift than have an escort,"replied Kanana.
"By the beard of the Prophet, my son, there is both foolishness andwisdom in thy words. Thou shall take the messages by one route, and byanother I will send the soldiers with copies. It may be that Allahguides thy tongue. When wilt thou start?"
"Now," replied Kanana.
"That was well spoken," said the caliph. "What camels and servants shallbe provided?"
"My father," said Kanana, "as I came a little way with the caravanwhich arrived to-day, I noted the white camel that took the lead. Inever saw so great power of speed and endurance in a camel of the plain.The man who led him knew him well and was easily obeyed. I would havethe two, none other, and the swiftest dromedary in Mecca, with grain forfourteen days."
The caliph shook his head: "It will be twenty days and more."
"My father, the burden must be light that the sa
nd lie loose beneaththeir feet, and small, that it tempt no envious eye." Then, in thedirect simplicity resulting from his lonely life, Kanana added, "If itis a three weeks' journey for others, in fourteen days thy messagesshall be delivered."
The caliph summoned an officer, saying, "Go to the caravan at theMoabede Gate. Say that Omar requires the white camel and the man wholeads it; none other. Bid Ebno'l Hassan prepare my black dromedary andfood for the two for fourteen days. Have everything at the gate, readyto start, in half an hour." Then to a slave, he added, "Give to the sonof the Terror of the Desert the best that the house affords to eat anddrink."
Without another word the caliph left the room to prepare the messages.The slave hurried to produce a sumptuous feast. The officer left thehouse to execute the orders of the man whose word was law.
Alone, Kanana sat down again upon the mat and buried his face in hishands, as though he were quietly preparing himself to sleep.
Only a whisper escaped his lips. The words were the same which he hadangrily spoken under the shadow of Mount Hor, but the voice was verydifferent: "This is my great reward for giving a cup of water to thethirsty. _La Illaha il Allah!_" The slave placed the food beside him,but he did not notice it. Not until the caliph entered again did hesuddenly look up, exclaiming, "This shepherd's coat would not befitting the dignity of the white camel. I must have an _abbe_ to coverit, and a mantle to cover my face, that Mecca may not see a beardlessyouth going upon a mission for the great caliph."
They were quickly provided. The camel and its driver were at the gate,with the black dromedary. All was ready, and with the mantle drawn overhis beardless face, and the _abbe_ covering his sheepskin coat, Kananaknelt and received the blessing of the Caliph Omar.
As he rose from his knees, the caliph handed him, first the letters,which Kanana placed in his bosom, and next a bag of gold which Kananaheld in his hand for an instant; then, scornfully, he threw it upon themat, remarking, "My father, I have already received a richer reward thanall the gold of Mecca."
The caliph only smiled: "Let each one dance according to the music whichhe hears. My son, I see the future opening before thee. This is not thylast mission. I read it in thy destiny that thou wilt succeed, andsucceed again, until the name of Kanana be written among the greatest ofthose who have lifted the lance for Allah and Arabia. Go now, and God gowith thee."