nandrpfiresainedduringallthisti,theboythoughtaboutfati,andheillunabletounderstandhislastnversationhher
finally,afterhoursofaginedthat,thereintheddleofthedesert,thereexistedatentlikethisonethegroundostbeautifulpsofhandibroideredsilkeandaintainedthefiresinthehookahstheatsphereoke
44
therediatelyostiortant:anarabdressedinicircleathissideheyoungarabtheboyhadspokenhearlier
”hisstrangerens”askedoneofthechieftains,eyeingtheboy
”itisi,”theboyansoldhehadseen
”revealsuchthingstoastranger,knohations”saidanotherofthechieftains
”beedtothedesert,”theboysaid”iightnotsee”
andalsobecauseiknoself
”theoasisisneutralgroundnooneattacksanoasis,”saidathirdchieftain
”icanonlytellyoue,youdonthavetodoanythingaboutit”
thenfellintoananiteddistostaytheboybethatsothingeldriverabouthehadseeninthedesert
suddenly,theelderattheperanhadntparticipatedinthediscussion,and,infact,hadntsaidaing
thedisentsastheylistenedtoanehisexpressionant
”tansansaid,noeran,andbroughthioegyptallofusknosalsokno”
theeldetinued,”edofanipeakingofresinehisnaoo,rangerinastrangeland,likeyou,andheyourage”
hepaused,andhiseyesillunfriendly
”ineinthosedays,anddetheegyptianstheenhoarrythetraditionsaysthatanoasisisneutralterritory,becausebothsideshaveoases,andsobotharevulnerable”
noonesaidaanntinued
”butthetraditionalsosaysthatessagesofthedeserteverythingaughttousbythedesert”
45
theoldngaveasignal,andeveryonestoodtheetingadereadytoleave,buttheoldnspokeagain:
”torroentthatsaysthatnooneattheoasisyeforeverytendeadnangourenees,youeiveapieceofgold
”butaretheyghtnotfunhasntbeenusedbytheendofthedaytorrow,onewillbeusedonyou”
oonheinutesfroistent,andbegantokehishere
heedbyightbehislifeitakingriskybetseversineldriverhadsaid,todietorroarkonesdeparturefrohisaktub”
orroaseyeshehadlivedeveryoneofhisdaysintenselysinorroorethanothershepherds,andhehat
suddenlyheheardathunderingsound,andheoonfroieous
bledatalandressedpletelyinblaorepoeressenger
thestrangehorsendreous,oon
”eaningoftheflightofthehaanded,soloudlythathisedtoetreesofalfayou
”itisiindedoftheigeofsantiagotaros,untedonhisehorse,htheinfidelsbenea
