Tales of the Caravan, Inn, and Palace — John Shaqi
Tales of the Caravan, Inn, and PalaceHauff, Wilhelm
General
Tales of the Caravan, Inn, and Palace
Hauff, Wilhelm
Short stories, German -- Translations into English
"Your dissimulation will avail you nothing," said one of the robbers,
who was engaged in tying Mustapha's hands behind his back. "Get out of
the tent quickly, for the Strong One is biting his lips and glancing at
his dagger. If you would live another night, come quickly!"
As the robbers were leading my brother out of the tent, they
encountered three others, who were pushing in a prisoner before them.
"We have brought you the Pasha as you commanded us," said they, and led
the prisoner up to the cushions where Orbasan reclined. While the
prisoner was being led forward, my brother had an opportunity to
observe him closely, and he was forced to acknowledge the striking
resemblance which this man bore to him, only the stranger's complexion
was darker and he wore a black beard.
Orbasan seemed much astonished over the appearance of the second
prisoner. "Which of you, then, is the right one?" asked he, looking
from one to the other.
"If you mean the Pasha of Sulieika," answered the prisoner, in a proud
tone, "I am he."
Orbasan gazed at him some time with a stern, hard expression, and then
silently beckoned the men to lead him away. When they had done so,
Orbasan went up to my brother, cut his bonds with his dagger, and
motioned to him to sit down with him on the cushions. "I am sorry,
young stranger," said he, "that I mistook you for that monster. It was,
indeed, a singular dispensation of fate which led you into the hands of
my comrades at the same hour that was destined to see the fall of that
traitor." My brother begged of him but one favor: that he might be
allowed to continue on his journey at once, as the least delay would
prove fatal to his purpose. Orbasan inquired what the nature of the
affair was that required such haste, and when Mustapha had told him
every thing, Orbasan persuaded him to remain in his tent over night, as
he and his horse were in need of rest, and promised that in the morning
he would show him a way by which he could reach Balsora in a day and a
half.
My brother remained, was hospitably entertained, and slept soundly
until morning in the tent of the robber chief. When he awakened he
found himself all alone, but before the curtain of the tent he heard
several voices, one of which belonged to Orbasan and another to Hassan.
He listened, and heard, to his horror, that the little old man was
urging upon Orbasan the necessity of killing him, lest he should betray
them when he had regained his liberty. Mustapha felt sure that Hassan
hated him, because he had been the cause of the little fellow's being
handled so roughly the night before. Orbasan remained silent for some
moments, and then replied: "No, he is my guest, and the laws of
hospitality are sacred with me; neither does he look like an informer."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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