The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night 10 – Burton · Verses Across
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The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night 10Nur Al-Din Ali and the Damsel Anis Al-Jalis (part 10)
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Literature · Adventure
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night 10
Nur Al-Din Ali and the Damsel Anis Al-Jalis (part 10)
BurtonEnglish
So as soon as night had darkened, they repaired to the tent of that witch, Zat al-Dawahi; and, seeing her standing to pray, they drew near her and fell a-weeping for pity of her; but she paid no heed to them till midnight was past, when she ended her orisons by pronouncing the salutation. Then she turned to them and after wishing them long life, asked them "Wherefore come ye?"; whereto they answered, "O thou holy man! diddest thou not hear us weep around thee?" She rejoined, "To him who standeth in the presence of Allah, remaineth no existence in time, either for hearing any or for seeing aught about him." Quoth they, "We would have thee recount to us the cause of thy captivity and pray for us this night, for that will profit us more than the possession of Constantinople." Now when she heard their words she said, "By Allah, were ye not the Emirs of the Moslems, I would not relate to you aught of this at any time; for I complain not but to Allah alone. However, to you I will relate the circumstances of my captivity. Know, then, that I was in the saintly City of Jerusalem with certain ecstatics and inspired men, and did not magnify myself among them, for that Allah (be He exalted and extolled!) had endowed me with humility and abnegation, till I chanced to go down to the sea one night and walked upon the water. Then entered into me pride; whence I know not, and I said to myself:—Who like me can walk the water? And my heart from that time hardened and Allah afflicted me with the love of travel. So I journeyed to Roum-land and visited every part for a whole year, and left no place but therein I worshiped Allah. When I came to this spot, I clomb the mountain and saw there an hermitage, inhabited by a monk called Matruhina, who, when he sighted me, came out and kissed my hands and feet and said:—Verily, I have seen thee since thou enteredst the land of the Greeks, and thou hast filled me with longing for the land of Al-Islam. Then he took my hand and carried me into that hermitage, and brought me to a dark room; and, when I entered it unawares, he locked the door on me and left me there forty days, without meat or drink; for it was his intent to kill me by delay.
It chanced one day, that a Knight called Dakianús came to the hermitage, accompanied by ten squires and his daughter Tamasil, a girl whose beauty was incomparable. When they entered that hermitage, the monk Matruhina told them of me, and the Knight said:—Bring him out, for surely there is not on him a bird's meal of meat. So they opened the door of the dark room and found me standing in the niche, praying and reciting the Koran and glorifying Allah and humbling myself before the Almighty. When they saw me in this state Matruhina exclaimed:—This man is indeed a sorcerer of the sorcerers!; and hearing his words, they all came in on me, Dakianus and his company withal, and they beat me with a grievous beating, till I desired death and reproached myself, saying, This is his reward who exalteth himself and who prideth himself on that which Allah hath vouchsafed to him, beyond his own competence! And thou, O my soul, verily self-esteem and arrogance have crept into thee. Dost thou not know that pride angereth the Lord and hardeneth the heart and bringeth men to the Fire? Then they laid me in fetters and returned me to my place which was the dungeon under ground. Every three days, they threw me down a scone of barley bread and a draught of water; and every month or two the Knight came to the hermitage. Now his daughter Tamasil had grown up, for she was nine years old when I first saw her, and fifteen years passed over me in captivity, so that she had reached her four-and-twentieth year. There is not in our land nor in the land of the Greeks a fairer than she, and her father feared lest the King take her from him; for she had vowed herself to the Messiah and rode with Dakianus in the habit of a cavalier, so that albeit none might compare with her in loveliness, no one who saw her knew her for a woman. And her father had laid up his monies in this hermitage, every one who had aught of price or treasured hoard being wont to deposit it therein; and I saw there all manner of gold and silver and jewels and precious vessels and rarities, none may keep count of them save Almighty Allah.
Now ye are worthier of these riches than those Infidels; so lay hands on that which is in the hermitage and divide it among the Moslems and especially on fighters in the Holy War. When these merchants came to Constantinople and sold their merchandise, that image which is on the wall spoke to them, by grace of a marvel which Allah granted to me; so they made for that hermitage and slew Matruhina, after torturing him with most grievous torments, and dragging him by the beard, till he showed them the place where I was; when they took me and found no path but flight for dread of death. Now to-morrow night Tamasil will visit that hermitage as is her habit, and her father and his squires will come after her, as he feareth for her so, if ye would witness these things, take me with you and I will deliver to you the monies and the riches of the Knight Dakianus which be in that mountain; for I saw them bring out vessels of gold and silver to drink therefrom, and I heard a damsel of their company sing to them in Arabic and well-away! that so sweet a voice should not be busied in chaunting the Koran. If, then, ye will; enter into that hermitage and hide there against the coming of Dakianus and his daughter; and take her, for she is fit only for the King of the Age, Sharrkan, or King Zau al-Makan." Thereat they all rejoiced with the exception of the Wazir Dandan, who put scant faith in her story, for her words took no hold on his reason, and signs of doubt in her and disbelief showed in his face. Yet he was confounded at her discourse, but he feared to speak with her for awe of the King. Then quoth the ancient dame, Zat al-Dawahi, "Verily, I fear lest the Knight come and, seeing these troops encamped in the meadow, be afraid to enter the hermitage." So Zau al-Makan ordered the army to march upon Constantinople and said, "I have resolved to take with me an hundred horse and many mules and make for that mountain, where we will load the beasts with the monies which be in the hermitage."
Then he sent at once for the Chief Chamberlain whom they brought into the presence; and he summoned likewise the leaders of the Turks and Daylamites and said, "As soon as it is dawn, do ye set forth for Constantinople; and thou, O Chamberlain, shalt take my place in council and contrivance, while thou, O Rustam, shalt be my brother's deputy in battle. But let none know that we are not with you and after three days we will rejoin you." Then he chose out an hundred of the doughtiest riders, and he and Sharrkan and the Minister Dandan set out for the hermitage, and the hundred horsemen led the mules with chests for transporting the treasure.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Ninety-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Sharrkan and his brother, Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan set off with an hundred horse for the hermitage described to them by that accursed Zat al-Dawahi; and they took with them mules and chests for transporting the treasure. Now as soon as dawned the morn, the Chamberlain signalled to the host an order for departure, and they set out thinking that the two Kings and the Wazir were with them; knowing not that the three had made for the monastery. Such was the case with the host; but as regards the two Kings and the Minister, they tarried in their place till the end of that day. Now the Infidels who were with Zat al-Dawahi took their departure privily, after they had gone in to her and kissed her hands and feet and obtained her leave to march. So she not only gave them permission but also taught them all she minded of wile and guile. And when it was dark night, she arose and went in to Zau al-Makan and his companions and said to them, "Come, let us set out for the mountain, and take with you a few men-at-arms." They obeyed her and left five horsemen at the foot of the mountain, whilst the rest rode on before Zat al-Dawahi, who gained new strength for excess of joy, so that Zau al-Makan said, "Glory be to Him who sustaineth this holy man, whose like we never saw!" Now the witch had written a letter to the King of Constantinople and despatched it on the wings of a bird, acquainting him with what had passed and ending, "I wish thee to send me ten thousand horsemen of the bravest of the Greeks and let them steal along the foot of the mountains with caution, lest the host of Al-Islam get sight of them; and, when they reach the hermitage, let them ambush themselves there, till I come to them with the Moslem King and his brother, for I shall inveigle them and will bring them thither, together with the Wazir and an hundred horse and no more, that I may presently deliver to them the crosses which be in the hermitage. I am resolved to slay the Monk Matruhina, since my scheme cannot be carried out but by taking his life.
If my plot work well, not one of the Moslems shall return to his own country; no, not a living wight nor one who blows the fire alight; and Matruhina shall be a sacrifice for the followers of the Nazarene faith and the servants of the Cross, and praise be to the Messiah, first and last." When this letter reached Constantinople, the keeper of the carrier-pigeons carried it to King Afridun, who read it and forthwith inspected his host and equipped ten thousand cavaliers with horses and dromedaries and mules and provaunt and bade them repair to that hermitage and, after reaching the tower, to hide therein. Thus far concerning them; but as regards King Zau al-Makan and his brother Sharrkan and the Wazir Dandan and the escort, when they reached the hermitage they entered and met the Monk Matruhina, who came out to see who and what they were; whereupon quoth that pious man Zat al-Dawahi, "Slay this damned fellow." So they smote him with their swords and made him drink the cup of death. Then the accursed old woman carried them to the place of offerings and ex votos, and brought out to them treasures and precious things more than she had described to them; and after gathering the whole together, they set the booty in chests and loaded the mules therewith. As for Tamasil, she came not, she or her father, for fear of the Moslems; so Zau al-Makan tarried there, awaiting her all that day and the next and a third, till Sharrkan said to him, "By Allah, I am troubled anent the army of Al-Islam, for I know not what is become of them." His brother replied, "And I also am concerned for them: we have come by this great treasure and I do not believe that Tamasil or any one else will approach the hermitage, after that befel which hath befallen the host of the Christians. It behoveth us, then, to content ourselves with what Allah hath given us and depart; so haply He will help us conquer Constantinople." Accordingly they came down from the mountain, while Zat al-Dawahi was impotent to oppose their march for fear of betraying her deceit; and they fared forwards till they reached the head of a defile, where the old woman had laid an ambush for them with the ten thousand horse.
As soon as these saw the Moslems they encircled them from all sides, couching lance and baring the white sabre blade; and the Infidels shouted the watchword of their faithless Faith and set the shafts of their mischief astring. When Zau al-Makan and his brother Sharrkan and the Minister Dandan looked upon this host, they saw that it was a numerous army and said, "Who can have given these troops information of us?" Replied Sharrkan, "O my brother, this be no time for talk; this is the time for smiting with swords and shooting with shafts; so gird up your courage and hearten your hearts, for this strait is like a street with two gates; though, by the virtue of the Lord of Arabs and Ajams, were not the place so narrow I would bring them to naught, even though they were an hundred thousand men!" Said Zau al-Makan, "Had we wotted this we would have brought with us five thousand horse;" and the Wazir Dandan continued, "If we had ten thousand horse they had availed us naught in these narrows; but Allah will succour us against them. I know this defile and its straitness, and I know there be many places of refuge in it; for I have been here on razzia with King Omar bin al-Nu'uman, what while we besieged Constantinople. We abode in this place, and here is water colder than snow. So come, let us push out of this defile ere the Infidel host increase on us and get the start of us to the mountain-top, whence they will hurl down rocks upon us, and we powerless to come at them." So they began hurrying on to get out of those narrows; but the pious man, Zat al-Dawahi, looked at them and said, "What is it ye fear, ye who have vowed yourselves to the Lord, and to working His will? By Allah, I abode imprisoned underground for fifteen years, yet never gainsaid the Almighty in aught he did with me! Fight ye in Allah's way; so whoever of you is slain Paradise shall be his abode, and whoso slayeth, his striving shall be to his honour." When they heard from the ascetic these words, their care and anxiety ceased from them and they stood firm till the Infidels charged down from all sides, whilst the swords played upon their necks and the cup of death went round amongst them.
The Moslems fought for the service of Allah a right good fight, and wrought upon His foes with sway of sword and lunge of lance; whilst Zau al-Makan smote upon the men and garred the knights bite the dust and their heads from their bodies take flight, five by five and ten by ten, till he had done to death a number of them past numbering and an accompt beyond counting. Now while so doing, he looked at the accursed old woman who was waving her sword and heartening them, and all who feared fled to her for shelter; but she was also signing the Infidels to slay Sharrkan. So troop after troop rushed on him with design to do him die; but each troop that charged, he charged and drove back; and when another troop attacked him he repelled the assault with the sword in their backs; for he thought it was the devotee's blessing that gave him the victory, and he said in himself, "Verily on this holy man Allah looketh with eyes of His favour and strengtheneth my prowess against the Infidels with the purity of his pious intent: for I see that they fear me and cannot prevail against me, but every one who assaileth me turneth tail and taketh flight." So they battled the rest of the day and, when night fell, the Moslems took refuge in a cave of that defile being weary with stress of war and cast of stone: and that day were slain of them five-and-forty. And when they were gathered together, they sought the devotee, but could find no trace of him; and this was grievous to them and they said, "Belike, he hath died a martyr." Quoth Sharrkan, "I saw him heartening the horsemen with divine instances and using as talisman verses of Holy Writ." Now while they were talking, behold, the accursed old woman, Zat al-Dawahi, stood before them, hending in hand the head of the Chief Captain of the ten thousand horse, a noble knight, a champion fierce in fight and a Satan for blight. One of the Turks had slain him with an arrow, and Allah hurried his soul to the fire; and when the Infidels saw what that Moslem had done with their leader, they all fell on him and wrought his bane and hewed him in pieces with their swords, and Allah hurried his soul to Heaven.
Then the accursed old woman cut off that Knight's head and brought it and threw it at the feet of Sharrkan and Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan. Now when Sharrkan saw her, he sprang up hastily before her and exclaimed, "Praised be Allah for thy safety and for our sighting thee, O holy man and devout champion of the Religion!" Replied she, "O my son, I have sought martyrdom this day, and have thrown my life away amid the Infidel array, but they feared me with dismay. When ye dispersed, I waxed jealous for your honour; so I rushed on the Chief Knight their leader, albeit he was a match for a thousand horse, and I smote him till I severed head from trunk. Not one of the Infidels could near me; so I brought his head to you,"——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Ninety-seventh Night,
She said, it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the damned witch, Zat al-Dawahi, took the head of the Knight, the leader of the twenty thousand Infidels, she brought it and threw it down before Zau al-Makan and his brother Sharrkan and the Wazir Dandan, saying, "When I saw your condition, I waxed jealous for your honour; so I rushed on the Chief Knight and smote him with the sword till I severed head from trunk. And none could near me, so I brought his head to you, that you may be strengthened in Holy War and work out with your swords the will of the Lord of the Faithful. And now I purpose leaving you to strive against the Infidels, whilst I go to your army, though they be at the gates of Constantinople, and return with twenty thousand horse to destroy these Unfaithfuls." Quoth Sharrkan, "How wilt thou pass to them, O thou holy man, seeing that the valley is blocked up on all sides by the Miscreants?" Quoth the accursed hag, "Allah will veil me from their eyes and they shall not sight me; nor, if any saw me, would he dare to attack me at that time, for I shall be as one non-existing, absorbed in Allah, and He will fend off from me His foes." "Thou sayest sooth, O holy man," rejoined Sharrkan, "for indeed I have been witness of that; so, if thou can pass out at the first of the night, 'twill be best for us." Replied she, "I will set out at this very hour and, if thou desire, thou shalt go with me and none shall see thee. Furthermore if thy brother also have a mind to go with us we will take him, but none else; for the shadow of a saint can cover only twain." Sharrkan said, "As for me I will not leave my comrades; but, if my brother will, there is no harm in his going with thee and setting us free of this strait; for he is the stronghold of the Moslems and the sword of the Lord of the three Worlds; and if it be his pleasure, let him take with him the Wazir Dandan, or whom else he may elect and send us ten thousand horse to succour us against these caitiffs." So after debate they agreed on this and the old woman said, "Give me leisure to go before you and consider the condition of the Infidels, if they be asleep or awake."
Quoth they, "We will not go forth save with thee and trust our affair to Allah." "If I do your bidding," replied she, "blame me not but blame yourselves; for it is my rede that you await me till I bring you tidings of the case." Then said Sharrkan, "Go to them and delay not from us, for we shall be awaiting thee." Thereupon she fared forth and Sharrkan turned to his brother addressing him and said, "Were not this holy man a miracle-worker, he had never slain yonder furious knight. This is proof sufficient of the ascetic's power; and of a truth the pride of the Infidels is laid low by the slaying of this cavalier, for he was violent, evil devil and a stubborn." Now whilst they were thus devising of the mighty works of the devotee, behold, the accursed Zat al-Dawahi came upon them and promised them victory over the Unbelievers; wherefor they thanked her (not knowing that all this was wile and guile) and the damned hag asked, "Where be the King of the Age, Zau al-Makan, and the Minister Dandan?" Answered he, "Here am I!" "Take with thee thy Wazir," said she, "and follow after me, that we may fare forth to Constantinople." Now she had acquainted the Infidels with the cheat she had put upon the Moslems, and they rejoiced with exceeding great joy, and said, "Our hearts will not be contented till we shall have slain their King in return for the Knight's death; because we had no stouter rider than he;" and they added (bespeaking the ill-omened hag as she told them her plan of faring to the land of the Moslems), "When thou bringest him to us, we will bear him to King Afridun." Then she went out and went out with her Zau al-Makan and the Minister Dandan, and she walked on before the two saying, "Fare forth with the blessing of Almighty Allah!" So they did her bidding, for the shaft of Fate and Fortune of man's lot had shot them, and she ceased not leading them both through the midst of the Grecian camp, till they came to the defile, the narrow pass aforesaid, whilst the Infidel enemy watched them, but did them no hindrance; for the infernal old woman had enjoined this.
Now when Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan saw that the Infidel host offered them no let and stay and yet had them in sight, the Wazir exclaimed, "By Allah, this is one of the holy man's saintly miracles! and doubtless he be of the elect." Rejoined Zau al-Makan, "By Allah, I think the Infidels be naught but blind, for we see them and they see us not." And while they were thus praising the holy man and recounting his mighty works and his piety and his prayers, behold, the Infidels charged down on them from all sides and surrounded them and seized them, saying, "Is there anyone else with you twain, that we may seize upon him too?" And the Wazir Dandan replied, "See you not yon other man that is before us?" Replied the Unbelievers, "By the truth of the Messiah and the Monks, and the Primate and the Metropolitan, we see none save you two!" Then Zau al-Makan said, "By Allah, this is a chastisement decreed to us by Almighty Allah!"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Ninety-eighth Night,
She said, it hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Unfaithful had seized upon King Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan, they said to the two, "Is there anyone else with you twain, that we may seize upon him also?" And the Wazir Dandan replied, "See you not yon other man who be with us?" They rejoined, "By the truth of the Messiah and the Monks and the Primate and the Metropolitan, we see none save you two!" Then the Infidels laid shackles on their feet and set men to guard them during the night, whilst Zat al-Dawahi fared on and disappeared from their sight. So they fell to lamenting and saying to each other, "Verily, the opposing of pious men leadeth to greater distress than this, and we are punished by the strait which hath befallen us." So far concerning Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan; but as regards King Sharrkan, he passed that night in the cavern with his comrades, and when dawned the day and he had prayed the morn-prayer, he and his men made ready to do battle with the Infidel and he heartened them and promised them all good. Then they sallied out till they were hard upon the Unbelievers and, when these saw them from afar, they cried out to them, saying, "O Moslems, we have taken captives your Sultan and your Wazir who hath the ordering of your affairs; and except ye leave off fighting us, we will slay you to the last man; but an you yield yourselves we will take you to our King, who will make peace with you on condition that you quit our country and return home and harm us in naught, and we will do you no harm in aught. If ye accept, it will be well for you; but if ye refuse there remaineth nothing for you but death. So we have told you sooth, and this is our last word to you." Now when Sharrkan heard this and was certified of the captivity of his brother and the Wazir Dandan, he was weighed down with woe and wept; his force failed him and, making sure of death, he said to himself, "Would I knew the cause of their capture! Did they fail of respect to the holy man or disobey him, or what was the matter?" Then they sprang up to battle with the Unbelievers and slew great numbers of them.
The brave was known that day from craven men, and sword and spear were dyed with bloody stain; for the Infidels flocked upon them, as flies flock to drink, from hill and from plain; but Sharrkan and his men ceased not to wage the fight of those who fear not to die, nor let death hinder them from the pursuit of victory, till the valley ran gore and earth was full of the slain she bore. And when night fell the armies separated, each making for his own place; and the Moslems returned to the cavern where gain and loss were manifest to them: few remained of them and there was no dependence for them but on Allah and the scymitar. Now there had been slain of them that day five-and-thirty men of the chiefest Emirs, and they had killed thousands of the Infidels, footmen and fighters on horse. When Sharrkan saw this, the case was grievous to him and he asked his comrades, "What shall we do?"; whereto all answered, "That which Almighty Allah willeth shall befal us." On the morning of the second day, Sharrkan said to the remnant of his troop, "If ye go forth to fight, not one of you will remain alive and we have but little left of food and water; so I deem ye would do better to bare your brands and go forth and stand at the mouth of this cavern, to hinder any from entering. Haply the holy man may have reached the Moslem host, and may return with ten thousand horse to succour us in fight with the Infidels, for belike the Unfaithful may have failed to see him and those with him." They said, "This were the better course to take, and of its expediency no doubt we make." So the troop went out and held the cavern mouth standing by its walls; and every one of the Infidels who sought to enter in, they slew. Thus did they fend off the foe from the gape of the cave and they patiently supported all such assaults, till day was done and night came on dusky and dun;——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Ninety-ninth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the army of the Moslems held the cavern-mouth and stood by its walls and they fended off the foe, and every one of the Infidels attempted to charge them, him they slew; and they patiently supported all such assaults till day was done and night came on dusky and dun; by which time King Sharrkan had only five-and-twenty men and no more left. Then quoth the Infidels to one another, "When shall these battle days have an end? We are weary of warring the Moslems." And quoth one of them, "Up and at them, for there remain of them but five-and-twenty men! If we cannot prevail on them to fight, let us light a fire upon them; and if they submit themselves and yield to us, we will take them prisoners; but if they refuse we will leave them for fuel to the fire, so shall they become to men of foreseeing mind a warning dire. May the Messiah on their fathers have no grace, and may the sojourn of the Nazarenes be for them no abiding-place!" So they carried fuel to the jaws of the cavern and set fire to it. Thereupon Sharrkan and his companions made sure of perdition and yielded themselves prisoners. And while they were in this condition, lo! the knight their captain said to those who counselled their slaughter, "It is not for any save for King Afridun to kill them, that he may gratify his wrath; therefore it behoveth us to keep them in durance by us till the morrow, when we will journey with them to Constantinople and deliver them to our King, who shall deal with them as he please." Said they, "This is the right course;" and he commanded to pinion them and set guards over them. Then, as soon as it was black night, the Infidels busied themselves with feasting and making festival; and they called for wine and drank it till all fell upon their backs. Now Sharrkan and his brother, Zau al-Makan, were in confinement and so also were his companion knights; whereupon the elder turned to the younger brother and said to him, "O my brother, how win free?" "By Allah," replied Zau al-Makan, "I know not; for here we be like birds in cage."
Then Sharrkan waxed wroth and sighed for excess of rage and stretched himself, till his pinion-bonds brast asunder; whereupon being free he arose and went up to the Captain of the guard, and taking from his pocket the keys of the fetters, freed Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan and the rest of his men. Then he turned to the two and said, "I desire to slay three of these Infidels and take and don their dress, we three; so that we shall be guised as Greeks and we will pass through them, without their knowing us, and fare forth to our own force." Replied Zau al-Makan, "This is no safe counsel for if we kill them, I fear some of their comrades may hear their shrieks and the foe be aroused upon us and kill us. 'Twere the surer way to pass out of the defile." So they agreed upon this and set out; and, when they had left the head of the strait a little distance behind, they saw horses picketed and the riders sleeping: and Sharrkan said to his brother, "Better we take each one of us a steed." There were five-and-twenty horsemen, so they took five-and-twenty horses, whilst Allah sent sleep upon the Infidels for a purpose He knew; and the Faithful mounted and fared on till they were out of reach. Meanwhile Sharrkan set to gathering from the Infidels as many weapons, swords, and spears, as were wanted. And while they took saddle and struck forwards none of the Infidels supposed that anyone could release Zau al-Makan and his brother and their men; or that their prisoners had power to escape. Now when all the captives were safe from the Unfaithful, Sharrkan came up with his comrades, and found them awaiting his arrival, on coals of flame, expecting him in anxious grame, so he turned to them and said, "Feel no fear since Allah protecteth us. I have that to propose which haply shall effect our purpose." "What is it?" asked they, and he answered, "I desire that ye all climb to the mountain top and cry out with one voice, Allaho Akbar! and ye add, The army of Al-Islam is upon you! Allaho Akbar!
This wise their company will surely be dissolved nor will they find out the trick for they are drunk, but they will think that the Moslem troops have encompassed them about on all sides and have mingled with them; so they will fall on one another brand in hand during the confusion of drunkenness and sleep, and we will cleave them asunder with their own swords and the scymitar will go round amongst them till dawn." Replied Zau al-Makan, "This plan is not good; we should do better to make our way to our army and speak not a word; for if we cry out Allaho Akbar, they will wake and fall on us and not one of us will escape." Rejoined Sharrkan, "By Allah, though they should awake 'tis no matter, and I long that ye fall in with my plan, for naught save good can come of it!" So they agreed thereon and clomb the mountain and shouted, "Allaho Akbar!" And hills and trees and rocks re-worded their Allaho Akbar for fear of the Almighty. But when the Kafirs heard this slogan they cried out to one another——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundredth Night,
She said, It hath reached me O auspicious King, that Sharrkan spake thus, "I long that ye fall in with this my plan, for naught save good can come of it." So they agreed thereon and clomb the mountain head and shouted, "Allaho Akbar!"; and hills and trees and rocks re-worded their Allaho Akbar for fear of the Almighty. The Infidels heard it and cried out one to other and donned their armour and said, "The foe is upon us, by the truth of the Messiah!" Then they fell on one another and slew of their own men more than any knoweth save Almighty Allah. As soon as it was dawn, they sought for the captives, but found no trace of them, and their captains said, "They who did this were the prisoners in our possession; up, then, and after them in all haste till ye overtake them, when we will make them quaff the cup of requital; and let not fright nor the panic of sudden awaking possess you." So they took horse and rode after the fugitives and it wanted but an eye-twinkling before they overtook them and surrounded them. Now when Zau al-Makan saw this, he was seized with increase of terror and said to his brother, "What I feared would come, is come upon us, and now it remaineth only for us to fight for the Faith." But Sharrkan preferred to hold his peace. Then Zau al-Makan and his companions rushed down from the hill-crest, shouting, "Allaho Akbar!" and his men repeated the war cry and addressed themselves to fight and to sell their lives in the service of the Lord of Faithful Men; and while they were in this case, behold, they heard many voices voicing, "There is no god but the God! God is most great! Salutation and salvation upon the Apostle, the Bringer of glad Tidings, the Bearer of bad Tidings!" So they turned towards the direction of the sound and saw a company of Moslems who believed in one God, pushing towards them, whereat their hearts were heartened and Sharrkan charged upon the Infidels crying out, "There is no god but the God! God is most great!"
he and those with him, so that earth quaked as with an earthquake and the Unbeliever host brake asunder and fled into the mountains and the Moslems followed them with lunge and blow; and Zau al-Makan and his comrades of the Moslems ceased not to smite the hosts of the Infidel foe, and parted heads from bodies till day darkened and night coming on starkened sight. Thereupon the Moslems drew together and passed the night in congratulations; and, when morning dawned and daybreak shone with its shine and sheen, they saw Bahram, the captain of the Daylamites, and Rustam, the captain of the Turks, advancing to join them, with twenty thousand cavaliers like lions grim. As soon as they saw Zau al-Makan, the riders dismounted and saluted him, and kissed ground between his hands when he said to them, "Rejoice ye in the glad tidings of the victory of the Moslem and the discomfiture of the tribe of Unbelievers!" Then they gave one another joy of their deliverance and of the greatness of their reward after Resurrection Day. Now the cause of the coming of the succours to that place was this. When the Emir Bahram and the Emir Rustam and the Chief Chamberlain, with the Moslem host and flags flaunting high ahead, came in sight of Constantinople they saw that the Nazarenes had mounted the walls and manned the towers and the forts, and had set all their defenders in order of defence, as soon as they learned of the approach of the host of Al-Islam and the banners Mohammedan, and they heard the clash of arms and the noise of war-voices and tramp of horse-hoofs; and from their look-outs they beheld the Moslems, with their standards and ensigns of the Faith of Unity under the dust-clouds and lo! they were like a flight of locusts or rain clouds raining rain; and the voices of the Moslems chanting the Koran and glorifying the Compassionate One, struck their ears. Now the Infidels knew of the approach of this host through Zat al-Dawahi with her craft and whoredom, calumny and contrivance. And the armies of Al-Islam drew near, as it were the swollen sea, for the multitude of footmen and horsemen and women and children.
Then quoth the General of the Turks to the General of the Daylamites, "O Emir, of a truth, we are in jeopardy from the multitude of the foe who is on the walls. Look at yonder bulwarks and at this world of folk like the seas that clash with dashing billows. Indeed yon Infidel outnumbereth us an hundredfold and we cannot be safe from spies who may inform them that we are without a Sultan. In very sooth, we run danger from these enemies, whose numbers may not be told and whose resources none can withhold, especially in the absence of King Zau al-Makan and his brother Sharrkan and the illustrious Wazir Dandan. If they know of this, they will be emboldened to attack us in their absence and with the sword they will annihilate us to the last man; not one of us safety shall see. So it is my counsel that thou take ten thousand riders of the allies and the Turks, and march them to the hermitage of Matruhina and the meadow of Malúkhiná in quest of our brothers and comrades. If thou act by my advice, it may be we shall approve ourselves the cause of their deliverance, in case they be hard pressed by the Infidels; and if thou act not, blame will not attach to me. But, an ye go, it behoveth that ye return quickly, for ill-suspicion is part of prudence." The Emir aforesaid fell in with his counsel; so they chose twenty thousand horse and they set out covering the roads and making for the monastery above mentioned. So much for the cause of their coming; but as regards the ancient dame, Zat al-Dawahi, as soon as she had delivered Sultan Zau al-Makan and his brother Sharrkan and the Wazir Dandan into the hands of the Infidels, the foul whore mounted a swift steed, saying to the Faithless, "I design to rejoin the Moslem army which is at Constantinople and contrive for their destruction; for I will inform them that their chiefs are dead, and when they hear that from me, their joining will be disjointed and the cord of their confederation cut and their host scattered.
Then will I go to King Afridun, Lord of Constantinople, and to my son Hardub, King of Roum, and relate to them their tidings and they will sally forth on the Moslems with their troops and will destroy them and will not leave one of them alive." So she mounted and struck across country on her good steed all the livelong night; and, when day dawned, appeared the armies of Bahram and Rustam advancing towards her. So she turned into a wayside brake and hid her horse among the trees and she walked a while saying to herself, "Haply the Moslem hosts be returning, routed, from the assault of Constantinople." However, as she drew near them she looked narrowly and made sure that their standards were not reversed, and she knew that they were coming not as conquered men, but fearing for their King and comrades. When she was assured of this, she hastened towards them, running at speed, like a devil of ill rede, till reaching them she cried out, "Haste ye! haste ye! O soldiers of the Compassionate One, hasten to the Holy War against the hosts of Satan!" When Bahram saw her he dismounted and kissed the ground before her and asked her, "O friend of Allah, what is behind thee?" Answered she, "Question not of sad case and sore condition; for when our comrades had taken the treasure from the hermitage of Matruhina, and designed to win their way Constantinople-wards, thereupon came out on them a driving host and a dreadful of the Infidels." And the damned witch repeated to them the story to fill them with trouble and terror, adding, "The most of them are dead, and there are but five-and-twenty men left." Said Bahram, "O holy man! when didst thou leave them?" "But this night," replied she. He cried, "Glory be to Allah! to Him who hath rolled up the far distance for thee like a rug, so that thou hast sped thus walking upon thy feet and propt upon a mid-rib of palm-tree! But thou art one of the saints which fly like birds when inspired and possessed by His directions."
Then he mounted his horse, and he was perplexed and confounded by what he had heard from the beldam so strong in lies and ill calumnies, and he said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Verily our labour is lost and our hearts are heavy within us, for our Sultan is a prisoner and those who are with him." Then they cut across the country, wide and side, night and day, and when morning dawned they reached the head of the defile and saw Zau al-Makan and Sharrkan shouting. "There is no god but the God! Allaho Akbar! and Salutation and Salvation upon the Congratulator, the Comminator." Whereupon he and his drove at the Unbelievers and whelmed them, as the rain-torrent whelms the waste; and cried out their war-cries, till fear gat hold of the prowest Knights and the mountains were cloven in affright. And when shone the day and showed its shine and sheen, the breeze of morning blew upon them sweet and fragrant, and each recognised other as hath been said before. Then they kissed the ground before the King and before his brother Sharrkan, who told them all that had befallen the party in the cave. Now thereat they marvelled and said to one another, "Hasten we back to Constantinople, for we left our companions there, and our hearts are with them." So they hurried departure, commending themselves to the Subtle, the All-wise, and Zau al-Makan exhorted the Moslems to steadfastness and versified in the following couplets:—
Be praises mine to all-praiseworthy Thee, ✿ O Lord, who stinted not mine aid to be! Though was I lost abroad, Thou wast to me ✿ Strongest support which vouchsafed victory: Thou gav'st me wealth and reign and goodly gifts, ✿ And slungest conquering sword of valiancy: Thou mad'st me blest beneath Thy kingly shade, ✿ Engraced with generous boons dealt fain and free: Thou savedst from every fear I feared, by aid ✿ Of my Wazir, the Age's noblest he! Garred us Thy grace in fight to throw the Greek, ✿ Who yet came back dight in War's cramoisie: Then made I feint to fly from out the fight; ✿ But like grim lion turning made them flee, And left on valley-sole my foemen, drunk ✿ Not with old wine but Death-cup's revelry: Then came the Saintly Hermit, and he showed ✿ His marvels wrought for town and wold to see; When slew they hero-wights who woke to dwell ✿ In Eden bowers wherein sweet rill-lets well.
But, when Zau al-Makan had made an end of versifying, his brother Sharrkan congratulated him on his safety and thanked him for the deeds he had done; after which both set out forcing their marches to rejoin their army.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it as the Hundred-and-first Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Sharrkan congratulated his brother, Zau al-Makan, on his safety and thanked him for the deeds he had done; after which both set out forcing their marches to rejoin their army. Such was their case; but as regards the old woman, Zat al-Dawahi, after she had foregathered with the hosts of Rustam and Bahram, she returned to the coppice, where she took her steed and mounted and sped on at speed, till she drew near the Moslem army that beleaguered Constantinople, when she lighted down from her destrier and led it to the pavilion-tent of the Chief Chamberlain. And when he saw her, he stood up to her in honour and signed to her with his right hand and said, "Welcome O pious recluse!" Then he questioned her of what had befallen, and she repeated to him her disquieting lies and deluding calumnies, saying, "In sooth I fear for the Emir Rustam, and the Emir Bahram, for that I met them and theirs on the way and sent them and their following to relieve the King and his companions. Now there are but twenty thousand horse and the Unbelievers outnumber them; so I would have thee at this moment send off the rest of thy troops at full speed to their succour, lest they be slain to the last man." And she cried to them, "Haste! Haste!" When the Chamberlain and the Moslems heard these words, their spirits fell and they wept; but Zat al-Dawahi said to them, "Ask aidance of Allah and bear patiently this tribulation; for ye have the example of those who have been before you of the people of Mohammed; and Paradise with its palaces is laid out by Allah for those who die martyrs; and needs must all die, but most praiseworthy is dying while fighting for the Faith." The Chamberlain, hearing this speech of the accursed old woman, called for the Emir Bahram's brother, a knight by name Tarkash; and, choosing out for him ten thousand horse, riders famed for force, bade him set out at once. So he fared forth and marched all that day and the whole of the next night, till he neared the Moslems.
When daylight dawned, Sharrkan saw the dust cloud about them and feared for the men of Al-Islam and said, "If these troops which are coming upon us be Moslem men our victory is assured by them; but, if these be Nazarenes, there is no gainsaying Destiny's decrees." Then he turned to his brother, Zau al-Makan, and said, "Never fear, for with my life I will ransom thee from death. If these be Mohammedan troops, then were it an increase of heavenly favours; but, if they be our foes, there is no help save that we fight them. Yet do I long to meet the Holy Man ere I die, so I may beg him to pray that I die not save by death of martyrdom." Whilst the twain were thus speaking, behold, there appeared the banners inscribed with the words, "There is no God but the God and Mohammed is the Apostle of God;" and Sharrkan cried out, "How is it with the Moslems?" "All are sound and safe," replied they, "and we came not but out of concern for you." Then the Chief of the army dismounted and, kissing ground before Sharrkan, asked, "O my lord, how be the Sultan and the Wazir Dandan and Rustam and my brother Bahram; are they all in safety?" He answered, "All well; but who brought thee tidings of us?" Quoth Tarkash; "It was the Holy Man who told us that he had met my brother Bahram and Rustam and had sent them both to you and he also assured us that the Infidels had encompassed you and outnumbered you; but I see not the case save the contrary thereof and that you are victorious." They questioned him, "And how did the Holy Man reach you?"; and he replied, "Walking on his feet and he had compassed in a day and a night, ten days' journey for a well girt horseman." "There is no doubt but that he is a Saint of Allah," said Sharrkan, "but where is he now?" They rejoined, "We left him with our troops, the folk of the Faith, moving them to do battle with the rebels and the Faithless." Thereat Sharrkan rejoiced and all thanked Allah for their own deliverance and the safety of the Holy Man; and commended the dead to His mercy saying, "This was writ in the Book."
Then they set out making for Constantinople by forced marches, and whilst they were on this enterprise, behold, a dust-cloud arose to such height that it walled the two horizons, the eastern and the western, from man's sight and the day was darkened by it to night. But Sharrkan looked at it and said, "Verily, I fear lest this be the Infidels who have routed the army of Al-Islam for that this dust walleth the world, east and west, and hideth the two horizons, north and south." Presently appeared under the dust a pillar of darkness, blacker than the blackness of dismal days; nor ceased to come upon them that column more dreadful than the dread of the Day of Doom. Horse and foot hastened up to look at it and know the terrors of the case, when behold, they saw it to be the recluse aforesaid; so they thronged round him to kiss his hands and he cried out, "O people of the Best of Mankind, the lamp which shineth in darkness blind, verily the Infidels have outwitted the Moslems by guile, for they fell upon the host of the One God whilst they deemed themselves safe from the Faithless, and attacked them in their tents and made a sore slaughter of them what while they looked for no wile; so hasten to the aid of the Believers in the unity of God, and deliver them from those who deny Him!" Now when Sharrkan heard these words, his heart flew from his breast with sore trouble; and, alighting from his steed in amazement, he kissed the Recluse's hands and feet. On like wise did his brother, Zau al-Makan, and the rest of the foot and horse-troops; except the Wazir Dandan, who dismounted not but said, "By Allah, my heart flieth from this devotee, for I never knew show of devotion to religion that bred not bane. So leave him and rejoin your comrades the Moslems, for this man is of the outcasts from the gate of the mercy of the Lord of the Three Worlds! How often have I here made razzias with King Omar bin al-Nu'uman and trodden the earth of these lands!" Said Sharrkan, "Put away from thee such evil thought, hast thou not seen this Holy Man exciting the Faithful to fight, and holding spears and swords light?
So slander him not, for backbiting is blameable and poisoned is the flesh of the pious. Look how he inciteth us to fight the foe; and, did not Almighty Allah love him, He had cast him aforetime into fearful torment." Then Sharrkan bade bring a Nubian mule for the ascetic to ride and said, "Mount, O pious man, devout and virtuous!" But the devotee refused to ride and feigned self-denial, that he might attain his end; and they knew not that this holy personage was like him of whom the poet saith:—
He prayeth and he fasteth for an end he doth espy; ✿ When once his end is safely won then fast and prayer good-bye.
So the devotee ceased not to walk among the horsemen and the footmen, like a wily fox meditating guile, and began to uplift her voice, chanting the Koran and praising the Compassionate One. And they continued pressing forward till they approached the camp of Al-Islam, where Sharrkan found the Moslem in conquered plight and the Chamberlain upon the brink of falling back in flight, whilst the sword of Greece havoc dight among the Faithful, the righteous and those who work unright,——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred-and-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Sharrkan saw the Moslems in conquered plight and the Chamberlain upon the brink of retreat and flight and the sword havoc dight among the righteous and the workers of unright, the cause of this weakness among the Moslems was that the accursed old woman, Zat al-Dawahi, the foe of the Faith, after seeing that Bahram and Rustam had set forward with their troops to join Sharrkan and his brother Zau al-Makan, repaired to the camp of the Mahometans before Constantinople and caused the mission of the Emir Tarkash, as hath been before said. In this her purpose was to divide the Moslem forces the better to weaken them. Then she left them and entered Constantinople, and called with a loud voice on the knights of the Greeks, saying, "Let me down a cord that I may tie thereto this letter, and do ye bear it to your King Afridun, that he may read it and to my son King Hardub that they both do what is written therein of bidding and forbidding." So they let down for her a string and she tied thereto a letter whose purport was the following: "From the terriblest of tribulations and the chiefest of all calamities, Zat al-Dawahi, to King Afridun greeting. But afterwards. Of a truth I have contrived a device for destroying the Moslems; so bide ye quiet and content. I have cozened and captured their Sultan and the Wazir Dandan; and then I returned to their camp and acquainted them therewith, whereby their pride had a fall and their withers were wrung. And I have so wrought upon the host 'leaguering Constantinople that they have sent ten thousand men under the Emir Tarkash to succour the captives, of whom there be now left but few; it is therefore my object that ye sally forth against them with all your power while this day endureth; and that ye fall on them in their tents and that ye leave them not till ye shall have slain them to the last man; for, verily the Messiah looketh down upon you and the Blessed Virgin favoureth you; and I hope of the Messiah that he forget not what deed I have done."
When her letter came to King Afridun, he rejoiced with great joyance; and, sending at once for King Hardub of Greece, son of Zat al-Dawahi, read the letter to him as soon as he came, whereat he was exceeding glad and said, "See my mother's craft; verily it dispenseth with swords, and her aspect standeth in stead of the terrors of the Day of Dread." Rejoined Afridun, "May the Messiah not bereave us of thy venerable parent nor deprive her of her wile and guile!" Then he bade the Knights give orders for sallying outside the city, and the news was noised abroad in Constantinople. So the Nazarenes and the cohorts of the Cross burst forth and unsheathed their keen sabres in their numbers, shouting out their professions of impiety and heresies, and blaspheming the Lord of all Creatures. When the Chamberlain saw the sally, he said, "Behold, the Greek is upon us and they surely have learned that our Sultan is far away; and haply they have attacked us, for that the most part of our troops have marched to the succour of King Zau al-Makan!" Therewith he waxed wroth and cried out, "Ho, soldiers of Al-Islam and favourers of the True Faith, an you flee you are lost, but if ye stand fast, ye win! Know ye that valiancy lieth in endurance of outrance and that no case is so strait but that the Almighty is able to make it straight; Allah assain you and look upon you with eyes of compassion fain!" Thereupon the Moslems cried out, "Allaho Akbar!" and the believer in the One God shouted his slogan, and whirled the mill-wheels of fight with cutting and thrusting in main and might; scymitars and spears played sore and the plains and valleys were swamped with gore. The priests and monks priested it, tight-girding their girdles and uplifting the Crucifixes, while the Moslem shouted out the professions of the Requiting King and verses of the Koran began to sing. The hosts of the Compassionate One fought against the legions of Satan; and head flew from body of man, while the good Angels hovered above the people of the Chosen Prophet, nor did the sword cease to smite till the day darkened and night came on and starkened.
Now the miscreants had encompassed the Moslems and made sure of escaping the pains that awaited them; and the Faithless greeded for victory over the Faithful until day dawned and dazzled. Thereupon the Chamberlain mounted, he and his men, trusting that Allah would help them to victory; and host was mingled with host and battle rose a-foot and took post. And heads flew from trunks whilst the brave stood fast in stead; the craven turned tail and fled; and the Judge of death judged and sentence sped, so that the champions fell from their saddles slain and corpses cumbered meadow and plain. Then the Moslem began to give ground and rearwards bent; and the Greek took possession of some of their tents; whereupon the Moslems were about to break and retreat and take flight, when meanwhile behold, up came Sharrkan with the rest of the host of Al-Islam and the standards of the Believers in Unity. And having come up with them, he charged the Infidels; and followed him Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan and the Emirs Bahram and Rustam with his brother Tarkash. When the foe saw this, they lost head and their reason fled, and the dust clouds towered till they covered the country, whilst the righteous Believers joined their pious comrades. Then Sharrkan accosted the Chamberlain and praised him for his steadfastness; and he in turn gave the Prince joy of his timely succour and his gaining the day. Thereat the Moslems were glad and their hearts were heartened; so they rushed upon their enemies and devoted themselves to Allah in their Fight for the Faith. But when the Idolaters beheld the standards Mohammedan and thereon the profession of Faith Islamitan, proclaiming the Unity, they shrieked "Woe!" and "Ruin!" and besought succour of the Patriarchs of the Monasteries. Then fell they to calling upon John and Mary and the Cross abhorrent and stayed their hands from slaughter, whilst King Afridun went up to consult King Hardub of Greece, for the two Kings stood one at the head of each wing, right and left. Now there was with them also a famous cavalier, Lawiyá hight, who commanded the centre; and they drew out in battle array, but indeed they were full of alarm and affray.
Meanwhile, the Moslems aligned their forces and thereupon Sharrkan came to his brother, Zau al-Makan, and said, "O King of the Age, doubtless they mean to champion it, and that is also the object of our desire; but it is my wish to push forward the stoutest-hearted of our fighters, for by forethought is one half of life wrought." Replied the Sultan, "As thou wilt, O companion of good counsel!" "It is my wish," added Sharrkan, "to stand in mid-line opposite the Infidel, with the Wazir Dandan on my left and thee on my right, whilst the Emir Bahram leads the dexter-wing and the Emir Rustam leads the wing sinistral; and thou, O mighty King, shalt be under the standards and the ensigns, for that thou art the pillar of our defence; upon thee, after Allah, is our dependence and we will all be thy ransom from aught that can harm thee." Zau al-Makan thanked him therefor, and the slogan arose and the sabre was drawn; but, as things stood thus, behold, there came forth a cavalier from the ranks of Roum; and, as he drew near, they saw that he was mounted on a slow-paced she-mule, fleeing with her master from the shock of swords. Her housings were of white silk covered by a prayer-carpet of Cashmere stuff, and on her back sat a Shaykh, an old man of comely presence and reverend aspect, garbed in a gown of white wool. He stinted not pushing her and hurrying her on till he came near the Moslem and said, "I am an ambassador to you all, and an ambassador hath naught to do save to deliver; so give me safe conduct and permit of speech, that I communicate to you my message." Replied Sharrkan, "Thou art in safety: fear neither sway of sword nor lunge of lance." Thereupon the old man dismounted and, taking the Cross from his neck, placed it before the Sultan and humbled himself with much humility. Then quoth to him the Moslems, "What is with thee of news?"
; and quoth he, "I am an ambassador from King Afridun, for I counselled him to avert the destruction of all these frames of men and temples of the Compassionate One; and to him it seemed righteous to stay the shedding of blood and limit it to the encounter of two knights in shock of fight singular; so he agreed to that and he saith to you:—Verily, I will ransom my army with my life; so let the Moslem King do as I do and with his life ransom his host. And if he kill me, there will be no stay left in the army of Roum, and if I kill him, there will be no stability with the Moslems." When Sharrkan heard this he said, "O monk, I agree to that, for it is just nor may it be gainsaid; and behold, I will meet him in duello and do with him derring-do, for I am Champion of the Faithful even as he is Champion of the Faithless; and if he slay me, he will have won the day and naught will remain for the Moslems' forces save flight. So return to him, O thou monk, and say that the single combat shall take place to-morrow, for this day we have come off our journey and are aweary; but after rest neither reproach nor blame fear ye." So the monk returned (and he rejoicing) to King Afridun and King Hardub, and told them both what Sharrkan had said, whereat King Afridun was glad with exceeding gladness and fell from him anxiety and sadness, and he said to himself, "No doubt but this Sharrkan is their doughtiest swayer of the sword and the dourest at lunge of lance; and when I shall have slain him, their hearts will be disheartened and their strength will be shattered." Now Zat al-Dawahi had written to King Afridun of that and had told him how Sharrkan was a Knight of the Braves and the bravest of knights and had warned him against him; but Afridun was a stalwart cavalier who fought in many a fashion; he could hurl rocks and throw spears and smite with the iron mace and he feared not the prowest of the prow. So when he heard the report of the monk that Sharrkan agreed to the duello, he was like to fly for exceeding joy, because he had self-confidence and he knew that none could withstand him.
