Part 38 (1/2)
”The nights are the worst, the nights in there It's a wonder any h a thousand nights” And even to him who had endured thehts of the House of Stone!” he exclaio down to the Nile by daytiazed at the thorn zareeba ”Surely we are allowed so much liberty I was told so An Arab at Wadi Halfa told me”
”And it's true,” returned Trench ”Look!” He pointed to the earthen bowl of water at his side ”I filled that at the Nile this o,” said Fevershao this ,” and since he spoke with a raised voice and a manner of excitement, Trench whispered to hi theround as
”But they cannot understand e say,” he objected in a voice froone
”They can see that we talk together and earnestly Idris would know of it within the hour, the Khalifa before sunset There would be heavier fetters and the courbatch if we spoke at all Lie still You are weak, and I too ao together down to the Nile”
Trench lay down beside Feversham and in a moment was asleep Feversham watched him, and sa that his features were relaxed, the marks of those three years very plainly in his face It was towards noon before he awoke
”There is no one to bring you food?” he asked, and Feversha news as well”
They waited until the gate of the zareeba was opened and the friends or wives of the prisoners entered At once that enclosure becaaolers took their dole at the outset Little more of the ”aseeda”--that moist and pounded cake of dhurra which was the staple diet of the town--than was sufficient to support life was allowed to reach the prisoners, and even for that the strong fought with the weak, and the group of four did battle with the group of three Froaunt and thin as skeletons hopped and leaped as quickly as the weight of their chains would allow them towards the entrance Here one ith starvation tripped and fell, and once fallen lay prone in a stolid despair, knowing that for him there would be no ers who brought the food, and tore it froaolers laid their backs open
There were thirty gaolers to guard that enclosure, each armed with his rhinoceros-hide courbatch, but this was the one moment in each day when the courbatch was neither feared, nor, as it see the food-bearers a boy sheltered hiazed irresolutely about the zareeba It was not long, however, before he was detected He was knocked down, and his food snatched froht Idris-es-Saier himself upon the three men who had attacked him
”For whom do you come?” asked Idris, as he thrust the prisoners aside
”For Joseppi, the Greek,” answered the boy, and Idris pointed to the corner where Fevershah explaining hoas that he brought no food But he ca at Feversham's side continued to explain ords And as he spoke he loosed a gazelle skin which was fastened about his waist beneath his jibbeh, and he let it fall by Fevershaazelle skin contained a chicken, and upon that Feversham and Trench breakfasted and dined and supped An hour later they were allowed to pass out of the zareeba and make their way to the Nile They walked slowly and withone of these Trench said:--
”We can talk here”
Below the dhows, others were paddling knee-deep in theand shouting and excited for no reason whatever The gaolers ithin view, but not within ear-shot
”Yes, we can talk here Why have you come?”
”I was captured in the desert, on the Arbain road,” said Feversha as a lunatic musician who had wandered out of Wadi Halfa with a zither I know But you were captured by your own deliberate wish You came to join me in Omdurman I know”
”How do you know?”
”You toldthe last three days you have told me much,” and Feversham looked about him suddenly in alarm, ”Very much,” continued Trench ”You cao I sent you a white feather”
”And was that all I told you?” asked Fevershaed out the word He sat up while Feversham lay on his side, and he looked towards the Nile in front of hi his head between his hands, so that he could not see or be seen by Fevershairl of whohby and Durrance and I dined with you in London a long while ago I know her name now--her Christian naht of that possibility She gave you a fourth feather to add to our three I ath, and then Feversham replied slowly:--
”For my part I am not sorry I mean I am not sorry that she was present when the feathers caave lad of that as well For without her presence, without that fourth feather snapped froiven up there and then Who knows? I doubt if I could have stood up to the three long years in Suakin I used to see you and Durrance and Willoughby andabout the hich I was used to You can't think how the iment to which one had becoh when one had to put up with it, appealed as so very desirable I could so easily have run away I could so easily have slipped on to a boat and gone back to Suez And the chance for which I waited never came--for three years”