The Brethren

by H. Rider Haggard

  Chapter Twenty: The Luck of the Star of Hassan

  An hour later the captain Abdullah might have been seen walkingcarelessly towards the tent where the brethren slept. Also, hadthere been any who cared to watch, something else might have beenseen in that low moonlight, for now the storm and the heavy rainwhich followed it had passed. Namely, the fat shape of the eunuchMesrour, slipping after him wrapped in a dark camel-hair cloak,such as was commonly worn by camp followers, and taking sheltercunningly behind every rock and shrub and rise of the ground.Hidden among some picketed dromedaries, he saw Abdullah enter thetent of the brethren, then, waiting till a cloud crossed themoon, Mesrour ran to it unseen, and throwing himself down on itsshadowed side, lay there like a drunken man, and listened withall his ears. But the thick canvas was heavy with wet, nor wouldthe ropes and the trench that was dug around permit him, who didnot love to lie in the water, to place his head against it. Also,those within spoke low, and he could only hear single words, suchas "garden," "the star," "princess."

  So important did these seem to him, however, that at lengthMesrour crept under the cords, and although he shuddered at itscold, drew his body into the trench of water, and with the sharppoint of his knife cut a little slit in the taut canvas. To thishe set his eye, only to find that it served him nothing, forthere was no light in the tent. Still, men were there who talkedin the darkness.

  "Good," said a voice--it was that of one of the brethren, butwhich he could not tell, for even to those who knew them bestthey seemed to be the same. "Good; then it is settled. To-morrow,at the hour arranged, you bring the princess to the place agreedupon, disguised as you have said. In payment for this service Ihand you the Luck of Hassan which you covet. Take it; here it is,and swear to do your part, since otherwise it will bring no luckto you, for I will kill you the first time we meet--yes, and theother also."

  "I swear it by Allah and his prophet," answered Abdullah in ahoarse, trembling voice.

  "It is enough; see that you keep the oath. And now away; it isnot safe that you should tarry here."

  Then came the sound of a man leaving the tent. Passing round itcautiously, he halted, and opening his hand, looked at itscontents to make sure that no trick had been played upon him inthe darkness. Mesrour screwed his head round to look also, andsaw the light gleam faintly on the surface of the splendid jewel,which he, too, desired so eagerly. In so doing his foot struck astone, and instantly Abdullah glanced down to see a dead ordrunken man lying almost at his feet. With a swift movement hehid the jewel and started to walk away. Then bethinking him thatit would be well to make sure that this fellow was dead orsleeping, he turned and kicked the prostrate Mesrour upon theback and with all his strength. Indeed, he did this thrice,putting the eunuch to the greatest agony.

  "I thought I saw him move," Abdullah muttered after the thirdkick; "it is best to make sure," and he drew his knife.

  Now, had not terror paralysed him, Mesrour would have cried out,but fortunately for himself, before he found his voice Abdullahhad buried the knife three inches deep in his fat thigh. With aneffort Mesrour bore this also, knowing that if he showed signs oflife the next stroke would be in his heart. Then, satisfied thatthis fellow, whoever he might be, was either a corpse orinsensible, Abdullah drew out the knife, wiped it on his victim'srobe, and departed.

  Not long afterwards Mesrour departed also, towards the Sultan'shouse, bellowing with rage and pain and vowing vengeance.

  It was not long delayed.

  That very night Abdullah was seized and put to the question. Inhis suffering he confessed that he had been to the tent of thebrethren and received from one of them the jewel which was foundupon him, as a bribe to bring the princess to a certain gardenoutside the camp. But he named the wrong garden. Further, whenthey asked which of the brethren it was who bribed him, he saidhe did not know, as their voices were alike, and their tent wasin darkness; moreover, that he believed there was only one man init--at least he heard or saw no other. He added that he wassummoned to the tent by an Arab man whom he had never seenbefore, but who told him that if he wished for what he mostdesired and good fortune, he was to be there at a certain hourafter sunset. Then he fainted, and was put back in prison tillthe morning by the command of Saladin.

  When the morning came Abdullah was dead, who desired no moretorments with doom at the end of them, having made shift tostrangle himself with his robe. But first he had scrawled uponthe wall with a piece of charcoal:

  "May that accursed Star of Hassan which tempted me bring betterluck to others, and may hell receive the soul of Mesrour."

  Thus died Abdullah, as faithful as he could be in such sorestraits, since he had betrayed neither Masouda nor his son, bothof whom were in the plot, and said that only one of the brethrenwas present in the tent, whereas he knew well that the two ofthem were there and which of these spoke and gave him the jewel.

  Very early that morning the brethren, who were lying wakeful,heard sounds without their tent, and looking out saw that it wassurrounded by Mameluks.

  "The plot is discovered," said Godwin to Wulf quietly, but withdespair in his face. "Now, my brother, admit nothing, even undertorture, lest others perish with us."

  "Shall we fight?" asked Wulf as they threw on their mail.

  But Godwin answered:

  "Nay, it would serve us nothing to kill a few brave men."

  Then an officer entered the tent, and commanded them to give uptheir swords and to follow him to Saladin to answer a charge thathad been laid against them both, nor would he say any more. Sothey went as prisoners, and after waiting awhile, were usheredinto a large room of the house where Saladin lodged, which wasarranged as a court with a dais at one end. Before this they werestood, till presently the Sultan entered through the furtherdoor, and with him certain of his emirs and secretaries. AlsoRosamund, who looked very pale, was brought there, and inattendance on her Masouda, calm-faced as ever.

  The brethren bowed to them, but Saladin, whose eyes were full ofrage, took no notice of their salutation. For a moment there wassilence, then Saladin bade a secretary read the charge, which wasbrief. It was that they had conspired to steal away the princessof Baalbec.

  "Where is the evidence against us?" asked Godwin boldly. "TheSultan is just, and convicts no man save on testimony."

  Again Saladin motioned to the secretary, who read the words thathad been taken down from the lips of the captain Abdullah. Theydemanded to be allowed to examine the captain Abdullah, andlearned that he was already dead. Then the eunuch Mesrour wascarried forward, for walk he could not, owing to the wound thatAbdullah had given him, and told all his tale, how he hadsuspected Abdullah, and, following him, had heard him and one ofthe brethren speaking in the tent, and the words that passed,and afterwards seen Abdullah with the jewel in his hand.

  When he had finished Godwin asked which of them he had heardspeaking with Abdullah, and he answered that he could not say, astheir voices were so alike, but one voice only had spoken.

  Then Rosamund was ordered to give her testimony, and said, trulyenough, that she knew nothing of the plot and had not thought ofthis flight. Masouda also swore that she now heard of it for thefirst time. After this the secretary announced that there was nomore evidence, and prayed of the Sultan to give judgment in thematter.

  "Against which of us," asked Godwin, "seeing that both the deadand the living witness declared they heard but one voice, andwhose that voice was they did not know? According to your ownlaw, you cannot condemn a man against whom there is no goodtestimony."

  "There is testimony against one of you," answered Saladinsternly, "that of two witnesses, as is required, and, as I havewarned you long ago, that man shall die. Indeed, both of youshould die, for I am sure that both are guilty. Still, you havebeen put upon your trial according to the law, and as a justjudge I will not strain the law against you. Let the guilty onedie by beheading at sundown, the hour at which he planned tocommit his crime. The other may go free with the citizens ofJerusalem who depart to-night
, bearing my message to the Frankishleaders in that holy town."

  "Which of us, then, is to die, and which to go free?" askedGodwin. "Tell us, that he who is doomed may prepare his soul."

  "Say you, who know the truth," answered Saladin.

  "We admit nothing," said Godwin; "yet, if one of us must die, Ias the elder claim that right."

  "And I claim it as the younger. The jewel was Hassan's gift tome; who else could give it to Abdullah?" added Wulf, speaking forthe first time, whereat all the Saracens there assembled, bravemen who loved a knightly deed, murmured in admiration, and evenSaladin said:

  "Well spoken, both of you. So it seems that both must die."

  Then Rosamund stepped forward and threw herself upon her kneesbefore him, exclaiming:

  "Sire, my uncle, such is not your justice, that two should beslain for the offence of one, if offence there be. If you knownot which is guilty, spare them both, I beseech you."

  He stretched out his hand and raised her from her knees: thenthought awhile, and said:

  "Nay, plead not with me, for however much you love him theguilty man must suffer, as he deserves. But of this matter Allahalone knows the truth, therefore let it be decided by Allah," andhe rested his head upon his hand, looking at Wulf and Godwin asthough to read their souls.

  Now behind Saladin stood that old and famous imaum who had beenwith him and Hassan when he commanded the brethren to depart fromDamascus, who all this while had listened to everything thatpassed with a sour smile. Leaning forward, he whispered in hismaster's ear, who considered a moment, then answered him:

  "It is good. Do so."

  So the imaum left the court, and returned presently carrying twosmall boxes of sandalwood tied with silk and sealed, so like eachother that none could tell them apart, which boxes he passedcontinually from his right hand to his left and from his lefthand to his right, then gave them to Saladin.

  "In one of these," said the Sultan, "is that jewel known as theenchanted Star and the Luck of the House of Hassan, which theprince presented to his conqueror on the day of Hattin, and forthe desire of which my captain Abdullah became a traitor and wasbrought to death. In the other is a pebble of the same weight.Come, my niece, take you these boxes and give them to yourkinsmen, to each the box you will. The jewel that is called theStar of Hassan is magical, and has virtue, so they say. Let itchoose, therefore, which of these knights is ripe for death, andlet him perish in whose box the Star is found."

  "Now," muttered the imaum into the ear of his master, "now atlength we shall learn which it is of these two men that the ladyloves."

  "That is what I seek to know," answered Saladin in the same lowvoice.

  As she heard this decree Rosamund looked round wildly andpleaded:

  "Oh! be not so cruel. I beseech you spare me this task. Let it beanother hand that is chosen to deal death to one of those of myown blood with whom I have dwelt since childhood. Let me not bethe blind sword of fate that frees his spirit, lest it shouldhaunt my dreams and turn all my world to woe. Spare me, I beseechyou."

  But Saladin looked at her very sternly and answered:

  "Princess, you know why I have brought you to the East and raisedyou to great honour here, why also I have made you my companionin these wars. It is for my dream's sake, the dream which told methat by some noble act of yours you should save the lives ofthousands. Yet I am sure that you desire to escape, and plots aremade to take you from me, though of these plots you say that youand your woman"--and he looked darkly at Masouda--"know nothing.But these men know, and it is right that you, for whose sake ifnot by whose command the thing was done, should mete out itsreward, and that the blood of him whom you appoint, which isspilt for you, should be on your and no other head. Now do mybidding."

  For a moment Rosamund stared at the boxes, then suddenly sheclosed her eyes, and taking them up at hazard, stretched out herarms, leaning forward over the edge of the dais. Thereon, calmlyenough the brethren took, each of them, the box that was nearestto him, that in Rosamund's left hand falling to Godwin and thatin her right to Wulf. Then she opened her eyes again, stoodstill, and watched.

  "Cousin," said Godwin, "before we break this cord that is ourchain of doom, know well that, whatever chances, we blame you notat all. It is God Who acts through you, and you are as innocentof the death of either of us as of that plot whereof we standaccused."

  Then he began to unknot the silk which was bound about his box.Wulf, knowing that it would tell all the tale, did not troublehimself as yet, but looked around the room, thinking that,whether he lived or died, never would he see a stranger sight.Every eye in it was fixed upon the box in Godwin's hand; evenSaladin stared as though it held his own destiny. No; not everyone, for those of the old imaum were fixed upon the face ofRosamund, which was piteous to see, for all its beauty had leftit, and even her parted lips were ashy. Masouda alone stillstood upright and unmoved, as though she watched some play, buthe noted that her rich-hued cheek grew pale and that beneath herrobe her hand was pressed upon her heart. The silence also wasintense, and broken only by the little grating noise of Godwin'snails as, having no knife to cut it, he patiently untied thesilk.

  "Trouble enough about one man's life in a land where lives arecheap!" exclaimed Wulf, thinking aloud, and at the sound of hisvoice all men started, as though it had thundered suddenly in asummer sky. Then with a laugh he tore the silk about his boxasunder with his strong fingers, and breaking the seal, shook outits contents. Lo! there on the floor before him, gleaming greenand white with emerald and diamond, lay the enchanted Star ofHassan.

  Masouda saw, and the colour crept back to her cheek. Rosamund sawalso, and nature was too strong for her, for in one bitter crythe truth broke from her lips at last:

  "Not Wulf! Not Wulf!" she wailed, and sank back senseless intoMasouda's arms.

  "Now, sire," said the old imaum with a chuckle, "you know whichof those two the lady loves. Being a woman, as usual she choosesbadly, for the other has the finer spirit."

  "Yes, I know now," said Saladin, "and I am glad to know, for thematter has vexed me much."

  But Wulf, who had paled for a moment, flushed with joy as thetruth came home to him, and he understood the end of all theirdoubts.

  "This Star is well named 'The Luck,'" he said, as bending downhe took it from the floor and fastened it to his cloak above hisheart, "nor do I hold it dearly earned." Then he turned to hisbrother, who stood by him white and still, saying:

  "Forgive me, Godwin, but such is the fortune of love and war.Grudge it not to me, for when I am sped tonight this Luck--andall that hangs to it--will be yours."

  So that strange scene ended.

  The afternoon drew towards evening, and Godwin stood beforeSaladin in his private chamber.

  "What seek you now?" said the Sultan sternly.

  "A boon," answered Godwin. "My brother is doomed to die beforenightfall. I ask to die instead of him."

  "Why, Sir Godwin?"

  "For two reasons, sire. As you learned to-day, at length theriddle is answered. It is Wulf who is beloved of the ladyRosamund, and therefore to kill him would be a crime. Further, itis I and not he whom the eunuch heard bargaining with the captainAbdullah in the tent--I swear it. Take your vengeance upon me,and let him go to fulfil his fate."

  Saladin pulled at his beard, then answered:

  "If this is to be so, time is short, Sir Godwin. What farewellshave you to make? You say that you would speak with my nieceRosamund? Nay, the princess you shall not see, and indeed cannot,for she lies swooning in her chamber. Do you desire to meet yourbrother for the last time?"

  "No, sire, for then he might learn the truth and--"

  "Refuse this sacrifice, Sir Godwin, which perchance will bescarcely to his liking."

  "I wish to say good-bye to Masouda, she who is waiting woman tothe princess."

  "That you cannot do, for, know, I mistrust this Masouda, andbelieve that she was at the bottom of your plot. I have dismissedher from the person of the princess an
d from my camp, which sheis to leave--if she has not already left--with some Arabs whoare her kin. Had it not been for her services in the land of theAssassins and afterwards, I should have put her to death."

  "Then," said Godwin with a sigh, "I desire only to see Egbert thebishop, that he may shrive me according to our faith and makenote of my last wishes."

  "Good; he shall be sent to you. I accept your statement that youare the guilty man and not Sir Wulf, and take your life for his.Leave me now, who have greater matters on my mind. The guard willseek you at the appointed time."

  Godwin bowed and walked away with a steady step while Saladin,looking after him, muttered:

  "The world could ill spare so brave and good a man."

  Two hours later guards summoned Godwin from the place where hewas prisoned, and, accompanied by the old bishop who had shrivenhim, he passed its door with a happy countenance, such as abridegroom might have worn. In a fashion, indeed, he was happy,whose troubles were done with, who had few sins to mourn, whosefaith was the faith of a child, and who laid down his life forhis friend and brother. They took him to a vault of the greathouse where Saladin was lodged--a large, rough place, lit withtorches, in which waited the headsman and his assistants.Presently Saladin entered, and, looking at him curiously, said:

  "Are you still of the same mind, Sir Godwin?"

  "I am."

  "Good. Yet I have changed mine. You shall say farewell to yourcousin, as you desired. Let the princess of Baalbec be broughthither, sick or well, that she may see her work. Let her comealone."

  "Sire," pleaded Godwin, "spare her such a sight."

  But he pleaded in vain, for Saladin answered only, "I have said."

  A while passed, and Godwin, hearing the sweep of robes, lookedup, and saw the tall shape of a veiled woman standing in thecorner of the vault where the shadow was so deep that thetorchlight only glimmered faintly upon her royal ornaments.

  "They told me that you were sick, princess, sick with sorrow, aswell you may be, because the man you love was about to die foryou," said Saladin in a slow voice. "Now I have had pity on yourgrief, and his life has been bought with another life, that ofthe knight who stands yonder."

  The veiled form started wildly, then sank back against the wall.

  "Rosamund," broke in Godwin, speaking in French, "I beseech you,be silent and do not unman me with words or tears. It is bestthus, and you know that it is best. Wulf you love as he lovesyou, and I believe that in time you will be brought together. Meyou do not love, save as a friend, and never have. Moreover, Itell you this that it may ease your pain and my conscience; I nolonger seek you as my wife, whose bride is death. I pray you,give to Wulf my love and blessing, and to Masouda, that truestand most sweet woman, say, or write, that I offer her the homageof my heart; that I thought of her in my last moments, and thatmy prayer is we may meet again where all crooked paths arestraightened. Rosamund, farewell; peace and joy go with youthrough many years, ay, and with your children's children. OfGodwin I only ask you to remember this, that he lived servingyou, and so died."

  She heard and stretched out her arms, and, none forbidding him,Godwin walked to where she stood. Without lifting her veil shebent forward and kissed him, first upon the brow and next uponthe lips; then with a low, moaning cry, she turned and fled fromthat gloomy place, nor did Saladin seek to stay her. Only tohimself the Sultan wondered how it came about that if it was Wulfwhom Rosamund loved, she still kissed Godwin thus upon the lips.

  As he walked back to the death-place Godwin wondered also, firstthat Rosamund should have spoken no single word, and secondlybecause she had kissed him thus, even in that hour. Why orwherefore he did not know, but there rose in his mind a memoryof that wild ride down the mountain steeps at Beirut, and of lipswhich then had touched his cheek, and of the odour of hair thatthen was blown about his breast. With a sigh he thrust thethought aside, blushing to think that such memories should cometo him who had done with earth and its delights, knelt downbefore the headsman, and, turning to the bishop, said:

  "Bless me, father, and bid them strike."

  Then it was that he heard a well-known footstep, and looked up tosee Wulf staring at him.

  "What do you here, Godwin?" asked Wulf. "Has yonder fox snaredboth of us?" and he nodded at Saladin.

  "Let the fox speak," said the Sultan with a smile. "Know, SirWulf, that your brother was about to die in your place, and ofhis own wish. But I refuse such sacrifice who yet have made useof it to teach my niece, the princess, that should she continuein her plottings to escape, or allow you to continue in them,certainly it will bring you to your deaths, and, if need be, heralso. Knights, you are brave men whom I prefer to kill in war.Good horses stand without; take them as my gift, and ride withthese foolish citizens of Jerusalem. We may meet again within itsstreets. Nay, thank me not. I thank you who have taughtSalah-ed-din how perfect a thing can be the love of brothers."

  The brethren stood awhile bewildered, for it is a strange thingthus to come back from death to life. Each of them had made surethat he must die within some few minutes, and pass through theblackness which walls man in, to find he knew not what. And now,behold! the road that led to that blackness turned again at itsvery edge, and ran forward through the familiar things of earthto some end unknown. They were brave, both of them, andaccustomed to face death daily, as in such a place and time allmen must be; moreover, they had been shriven, and looked to seethe gates of Paradise open on their newborn sight.

  Yet, since no man loves that journey, it was very sweet to knowit done with for a while, and that they still might hope to dwellin this world for many years. Little wonder, then, that theirbrains swam, and their eyes grew dim, as they passed from theshadow to the light again. It was Wulf who spoke the first.

  "A noble deed, Godwin, yet one for which I should not havethanked you had it been accomplished, who then must have lived onby grace of your sacrifice. Sultan, we are grateful for your boonof life, though had you shed this innocent blood surely it wouldhave stained your soul. May we bid farewell to our cousinRosamund before we ride?"

  "Nay," answered Saladin; "Sir Godwin has done that already--letit serve for both. To-morrow she shall learn the truth of thestory. Now go, and return no more."

  "That must be as fate wills," answered Godwin, and they bowed andwent.

  Outside that gloomy place of death their swords were given them,and two good horses, which they mounted. Hence guides led them tothe embassy from Jerusalem that was already in the saddle, whowere very glad to welcome two such knights to their company.Then, having bid farewell to the bishop Egbert, who wept for joyat their escape, escorted for a while by Saladin's soldiers, theyrode away from Ascalon at the fall of night.

  Soon they had told each other all there was to tell. When heheard of the woe of Rosamund Wulf well-nigh shed tears.

  "We have our lives," he said, "but how shall we save her? WhileMasouda stayed with her there was some hope, but now I can seenone."

  "There is none, except in God," answered Godwin, "Who can do allthings--even free Rosamund and make her your wife. Also, ifMasouda is at liberty, we shall hear from her ere long; so let uskeep a good heart."

  But though he spoke thus, the soul of Godwin was oppressed with afear which he could not understand. It seemed as though somegreat terror came very close to him, or to one who was near anddear. Deeper and deeper he sank into that pit of dread of he knewnot what, until at length he could have cried aloud, and his browwas bathed with a sweat of anguish. Wulf saw his face in themoonlight, and asked:

  "What ails you, Godwin? Have you some secret wound?"

  "Yes, brother," he answered, "a wound in my spirit. Ill fortunethreatens us--great ill fortune."

  "That is no new thing," said Wulf, "in this land of blood andsorrows. Let us meet it as we have met the rest."

  "Alas! brother," exclaimed Godwin, "I fear that Rosamund is insore danger--Rosamund or another."

  "Then," answered Wulf, turning pale, "since we cannot, let uspray
that some angel may deliver her."

  "Ay," said Godwin, and as they rode through the desert sandsbeneath the silent stars, they prayed to the Blessed Mother, andto their saints, St. Peter and St. Chad--prayed with all theirstrength. Yet the prayer availed not. Sharper and sharper grewGodwin's agony, till, as the slow hours went by, his very soulreeled beneath this spiritual pain, and the death which he hadescaped seemed a thing desirable.

  The dawn was breaking, and at its first sign the escort ofSaladin's soldiers had turned and left them, saying that now theywere safe in their own country. All night they had ridden fastand far. The plain was behind them, and their road ran amonghills. Suddenly it turned, and in the flaming lights of thenew-born day showed them a sight so beautiful that for a momentall that little company drew rein to gaze. For yonder beforethem, though far away as yet, throned upon her hills, stood theholy city of Jerusalem. There were her walls and towers, andthere, stained red as though with the blood of its worshippers,soared the great cross upon the mosque of Omar--that cross whichwas so soon to fall.

  Yes, yonder was the city for which throughout the ages men haddied by tens and hundreds of thousands, and still must die untilthe doom was done. Saladin had offered to spare her citizens ifthey consented to surrender, but they would not. This embassy hadtold him that they had sworn to perish with the holy Places, andnow, looking at it in its splendour, they knew that the hour wasnear, and groaned aloud.

  Godwin groaned also, but not for Jerusalem. Oh! now the lastterror was upon him. Blackness surged round him, and in theblackness swords, and a sound as of a woman's voice murmuring hisname. Clutching the pommel of his saddle, he swayed to and fro,till suddenly the anguish passed. A strange wind seemed to blowabout him and lift his hair; a deep, unearthly peace sank intohis spirit; the world seemed far away and heaven very near.

  "It is over," he said to Wulf. "I fear that Rosamund is dead."

  "If so, we must make haste to follow her," answered Wulf with asob.