the two captains-第9节

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the　sun　rose　before　them　as　if　to　confirm　and　strengthen　their
purpose；　and　the　two　beaming　countenances　looked　at　each　other　with
joy　and　confidence。　　Heimbert　had　not　thought　of　the　Christian　name
he　should　bestow　on　his　disciple；　but　as　he　scooped　up　the　water；　and
the　desert　lay　around　him　so　solemn　in　the　rosy　glow　of　morning；　he
remembered　the　pious　hermit　Antony　in　his　Egyptian　solitude；　and　he
baptized　the　lovely　convert；　Antonia。

They　spent　the　day　in　holy　conversation；　and　Antonia　showed　her
friend　a　little　cave；　in　which　she　had　concealed　all　sorts　of　store
for　her　sustenance　when　she　first　dwelt　on　the　oasis。　　〃For；〃　said
she；　〃the　good　God　is　my　witness　that　I　came　hither　only　that　I
might；　in　solitude；　become　better　acquainted　with　him　and　his　created
works；　without　knowing　at　that　time　in　the　least　of　any　magic
expedients。　　Subsequently　the　Dervish　came；　tempting　me；　and　the
horrors　of　the　desert　joined　in　a　fearful　league　with　his　terrible
power；　and　then　by　degrees　followed　all　that　alluring　spirits　showed
me　either　in　dreams　or　awake。〃

Heimbert　had　no　scruple　to　take　with　him　for　the　journey　any　of　the
wine　and　fruits　that　were　still　fit　for　use；　and　Antonia　assured　him
that　by　the　direct　way；　well　known　to　her；　they　would　reach　the
fruitful　shore　of　this　waterless　ocean　in　a　few　days。　　So　with　the
approach　of　evening　coolness　they　set　out　on　their　journey。




CHAPTER　XV。



The　travellers　had　almost　traversed　the　pathless　plain　when　one　day
they　saw　a　figure　wandering　in　the　distance；　for　in　the　desolate
Sahara　every　object　is　visible　to　the　very　horizon　if　the　whirlwind
of　dust　does　not　conceal　it　from　view。　　The　wanderer　seemed　doubtful
of　his　course；　sometimes　taking　this；　sometimes　that　direction；　and
Antonia's　eastern　falcon　eye　could　discern　that　it　was　no　Arab；　but
a　man　in　knightly　garb。

〃Oh；　dear　sister；〃　exclaimed　Heimbert；　full　of　anxious　joy；　〃then　it
is　our　poor　Fadrique；　who　is　in　search　of　thee。　　For　pity's　sake；　let
as　hasten　before　he　loses　us；　and　perhaps　at　last　his　own　life　also；
in　this　immeasurable　waste。〃　　They　strained　every　effort　to　reach　the
distant　object；　but　it　was　now　midday　and　the　sun　shone　burningly
upon　them；　Antonia　could　not　long　endure　this　rapid　progress；　added
to　which　the　fearful　whirlwind　soon　arose；　and　the　figure　that　had
been　scarcely　visible　before　faded　from　their　eyes；　like　some　phantom
of　the　mist　in　autumn。

With　the　rising　moon　they　began　anew　to　hasten　forward；　calling
loudly　upon　the　unfortunate　wanderer；　and　fluttering　white
handkerchiefs　tied　to　their　walking…staffs；　as　signal　flags；　hut　it
was　all　in　vain。　　The　object　that　had　disappeared　remained　lost　to
view。　　Only　a　few　giraffes　sprang　shyly　past　them；　and　the　ostriches
quickened　their　speed。

At　length；　as　morning　dawned；　Antonia　paused　and　said；　〃Thou　canst
not　leave　me；　brother；　in　this　solitude；　and　I　cannot　go　a　single
step　farther。　　God　will　protect　the　noble　Fadrique。　　How　could　a
father　forsake　such　a　model　of　knightly　excellence？〃　　〃The　disciple
shames　the　teacher；〃　replied　Heimbert；　his　sad　face　brightening　into
a　smile。　　〃We　have　done　our　part；　and　we　may　confidently　hope　that
God　will　come　to　the　aid　of　our　failing　powers　and　do　what　is
necessary。〃　　As　he　spoke　he　spread　his　mantle　on　the　sand；　that
Antonia　might　rest　more　comfortably。　　Suddenly　looking　up；　he
exclaimed；　〃Oh；　God！　yonder　lies　a　man；　completely　buried　in　the
sand。　　Oh；　that　he　may　not　be　already　dead！〃

He　immediately　began　to　sprinkle　wine；　from　the　flask　he　carried；　on
the　brow　of　the　fainting　traveller；　and　to　chafe　his　temples　with　it。
The　man　at　last　slowly　opened　his　eyes　and　said；　〃I　had　hoped　the
morning　dew　would　not　again　have　fallen　on　me；　but　that　unknown　and
unlamented　I　might　have　perished　here　in　the　desert；　as　must　be　the
case　in　the　end。〃　　So　saying　he　closed　his　eyes　again；　like　one
intoxicated　with　sleep；　but　Heimbert　continued　his　restoratives
unwearyingly；　and　at　length　the　refreshed　wanderer　half　raised
himself　from　the　sand　with　an　exclamation　of　astonishment。

He　looked　from　Heimbert　to　his　companion；　and　from　her　again　at
Heimbert；　and　suddenly　exclaimed；　gnashing　his　teeth；　〃Ha；　was　it　to
he　thus！　　I　was　not　even　to　be　allowed　to　die　in　the　dull　happiness
of　quiet　solitude！　　I　was　to　be　first　doomed　to　see　my　rival's
success　and　my　sister's　shame！〃　　At　the　same　time　he　sprang　to　his
feet　with　a　violent　effort　and　rushed　forward　upon　Heimbert　with
drawn　sword。　　But　Heimbert　moved　neither　sword　nor　arm；　and　merely
said；　in　a　gentle　voice；　〃Wearied　out；　as　you　now　are；　I　cannot
possibly　fight　with　you；　besides；　I　must　first　place　this　lady　in
security。〃　　Antonia；　who　had　at　first　gazed　with　much　emotion　at　the
angry　knight；　now　stepped　suddenly　between　the　two　men　and　cried　out；
〃Oh；　Fadrique；　neither　misery　nor　anger　can　utterly　disfigure　you。
But　what　has　my　noble　brother　done　to　you？〃　　〃Brother？〃　said
Fadrique；　with　astonishment。　　〃Or　godfather；　or　confessor；〃
interrupted　Heimbert；　　〃as　you　will。　　Only　do　not　call　her　Zelinda；
for　her　name　is　now　Antonia；　she　is　a　Christian；　and　waits　to　be　your
bride。〃　　Fadrique　stood　fixed　with　surprise；　but　Heimbert's　true…
hearted　words　and　Antonia's　lovely　blushes　soon　revealed　the　happy
enigma　to　him。　　He　sank　down　before　the　longed…for　form　with　a　sense
of　exquisite　delight；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　inhospitable　desert　the
flowers　of　love　and　gratitude　and　confidence　sent　their　sweetness
heavenward。

The　excitement　of　this　happy　surprise　at　last　gave　way　to　bodily
fatigue。　　Antonia；　like　some　drooping　blossom；　stretched　her　fair
form　on　the　again　burning　sand；　and　slumbered　under　the　protection　of
her　lover　and　her　chosen　brother。　　〃Sleep　also；〃　said　Heimbert　softly
to　Fadrique；　〃you　must　have　wandered　about　wildly　and　wearily；　for
exhaustion　is　pressing　down　your　eyelids　with　leaden　weight。　　I　am
quite　fresh；　and　I　will　watch　meanwhile。〃　　〃Ah；　Heimbert；〃　sighed　the
noble　Castilian；　〃my　sister　is　thine；　thou　messenger　from　Heaven；
that　is　an　understood　thing。　　But　now　for　our　affair　of　honor！〃
〃Certainly；〃　said　Heimbert；　very　gravely；　〃as　soon　as　we　are　again　in
Spain；　you　must　give　me　satisfaction　for　that　over…hasty　expression。
Till　then；　however；　I　beg　you　not　to　mention　it。　　An　unfinished
quarrel　is　no　good　subject　for　conversation。〃

Fadrique　laid　himself　sadly　down　to　rest；　overcome　by　long…resisted
sleep；　and　Heimbert　knelt　down　with　a　glad　heart；　thanking　the　good
God　for　having　given　him　success；　and　for　blessing；　him　with　a　future
full　of　joyful　assurance。




CHAPTER　XVI。



The　next　day　the　three　travellers　reached　the　edge　of　the　desert；　and
refreshed　themselves　for　a　week　in　an　adjacent　village；　which；　with
its　shady　trees　and　green　pastures；　seemed　like　a　little　paradise　in
contrast　to　the　joyless　Sahara。　　Fadrique's　condition　especially　made
this　rest　necessary。　　He　had　never　left　the　desert　during　the　whole
time；　gaining　his　subsistence　by　fighting　with　wandering　Arabs；　and
often　almost　exhausted　by　the　utter　want　of　all　food　and　drink。　　At
length　he　had　become　so　thoroughly　confused　that　the　stars　could　no
longer　guide　him；　and　he　had　been　driven　about；　sadly　and　objectless；
like　the　dust　clouds　of　the　desert。

Even　now；　at　times；　when　he　would　fall　asleep　after　the　midday　meal；
and　Antonia　and　Heimbert　would　watch　his　slumbers　like　two　smiling
angels；　he　would　suddenly　start　up　and　gaze　round　him　with　a
terrified　air；　and　then　it　was　not　till　he　had　refreshed　himself　by
looking　at　the　two　friendly　faces　that　he　would　sink　back　again　into
quiet　repose。　　When　questioned　on　the　matter；　after　he　was　fully
awake；　he　told　them　that　in　his　wanderings　nothing　had　been　more
terrible　to　him　than　the　deluding　dreams　which　had　transported　him；
sometimes　to　his　own　home；　sometimes　to　the　merry　camp　of　his
comrades；　and　sometimes　into　Zelinda's　presence；　and　then　leaving　him
doubly　helpless　and　miserable　in　the　horrible　solitude　as　the
delusion　vanished。　　It　was　on　this　account　that　even　now　waking　was
fearful　to　him；　and　even　in　sleep　a　vague　consciousness　of　his　past
sufferings　would　often　disturb　him。　　〃You　cannot　imagine　it；〃　he
added。　　〃To　be　suddenly　transported　from　well…known　scenes　into　the
boundless　desert！　　And　instead　of　the　longed…for　enchanting　face　of
my　beloved；　to　see　an　ugly　camel's　head　stretched　over　me
inquisitively　with　its　long　neck；　starting　back　as　I　rose　with　still
more　ugly　timidity！〃

This；　with　all　other　painful　consequences　of　his　past　miseries；　soon
wholly　vanished；　from　Fadrique's　mind；　and　they　cheerfully　set　out　on
their　journey　to　Tunis。　　The　consciousness；　indeed；　of　his　injustice
to　Heimbert　and　its　unavoidable　results　often　lay　like　a　cloud　upon
the　noble　Spaniard's　brow；　but　it　also　softened　the　natural　proud
severity　of　his　nature；　and　Antonia　could　cling　the　more　tenderly　and
closely　to　him　with　her　loving　heart。

Tunis；　which　had　been　before　so　amazed　at　Zelinda's　magic　power　and
enthusiastic　hostility　against　the　Christians；　now　witnessed
Antonia's　solemn　baptism　in　a　newly…consecrated　edifice；　and　soon
after　the　three　companions　took　ship　with　a　favor