boyonishedbyhesaw
insideneveruldhehaveiginedthat,thereintheddleofthedesert,thereexistedatentlikethisonethegroundostbeautifulcarpetshehadeverthetopofthestructurehunglasofhandgold,eachhalightedcandlethetribalbroideredsilk
eandhsilvertraysladenhspicesandteaotherservantsintainedthefiresinthehookahstheatsphereoketherediatelyostiortant:
anarabdressedinicircleathissideheyoung
arabtheboyhadspokenhearlier
”hisstrangerens”askedoneofthechieftains,eyeingtheboy”itisi,”theboyansoldhehadseen
”revealsuchthingstoastranger,knohatwehavebeenhereforgenerations”saidanotherofthechieftains
”beedtothedesert,”theboysaid”icanseethingsthateyeshabituatedtothedesertghtnotsee”
andalsobecauseiknoself
”theoasisisneutralgroundnooneattacksanoasis,”saidathirdchieftain”icanonlytellyoue,youdonthavetodoanythingaboutit”
thenfellintoananiteddiscussiontheyspokeinanarabicdialectthattheboydidntunderstand,but,adetoleave,theguardtoldhiostaytheboybecafearful;theonstoldhihatsothingeldriverabout
hehadseeninthedesert
suddenly,theelderattheperanhadnt
participatedinthediscussion,and,infact,hadntsaidaothatpointbuttheboywasalreadyusedtothelanguageofthehevibrationsofpeacethroughoutthetentnowhisintuitioning
thedisentsastheylistenedtotheold
nehisexpressionant
”tanshrooadungeon
andthensoldasaslave,”theoldnsaid,noerchantsboughtthatn,andbroughthioegyptallofusknosalsokno”
theeldetinued,”edofhathinandhat,this
nipeakingofresinehisnaoo,rangerina
strangeland,likeyou,andheyourage”
hepaused,andhiseyesillunfriendly
”ineinthosedays,andde
theegyptianstheenhoocrossthedesert,andhowtheirarrythetraditionsaysthatanoasisisneutralterritory,becausebothsideshaveoases,andsobotharevulnerable”
noonesaidaanntinued
”butthetraditionalsosaysthatessagesofthedeserteverythingweknowaughttousbythedesert”
theoldngaveasignal,andeveryonestoodtheetinghehookahswereextinguished,andtheguardsstoodatattentiontheboydereadytoleave,buttheoldnspokeagain:
”torroentthatsaysthatnooneattheoasisycarryarthroughouttheentiredayiesenwill
onenangourenees,youeivea
pieceofgold
”butarcannotbedrasareascapriciousasthedesert,and,iftheyarenotused,thenexttitheyghtnotfunhasntbeenusedbytheendofthedaytorrow,onewillbeusedonyou”
oonhey
nutesfroistent,andbegantokehishere
heedbyhadhappenedhehadsucceededinreachingthroughtothesoulofthebehislifeiteningbetbuthehad
beenkingriskybetseversincethedayhehadsoldhissheeptopursuehisdestinyand,astheorrohandyingonanyotherdayeverydaywas
theretobelivedortorkonesdeparturefrohishingdependedononeword:”ktub”
orro
ochangethefutureheleasthavediedafterhavingcrossedthestrait,afterhavingaseyeshehad
livedeveryoneofhisdaysintenselysinorrow,heorethanothershepherds,andhehat
suddenlyheheardathunderingsound,andhehroothegroundbyahashehadneverknooonfroiewas
anenorus
bledatalwasa
horsendressedpletelyinblack,hafalnperchedonhisleftshoulderheurbanandhisentireface,exceptforhiseyes,hablackkerchiefheappearedtobeassengerfrohedesert,buthispresenessengerthestrangehorsendreous,curvedsascabbarduntedonhissaddlethesteelofitsbladeglitteredinthelightoftheon”eaningoftheflightofthehaanded,soloudlythathiswordsseedtoetreesofalfayou
”itisiindedoftheigeofsantiagotaros,
untedonhisanlookedexactlythesa,
exceptthatnoheroleswerereversed
”itisiodoso,”herepeated,andhelooreceiveablowf
