The Lost City

by Carrie E. Gruhn

  “I have listened as our leaders stood before assembly after assembly and tried to plead our cause—they gave every possible reason for wanting this land—every reason, that is, except that God gave it to us! We ignore God—is it so strange then that He should ignore us?”

  “How can you say that, Paul? Surely that is all that I have heard since I can remember—Praise God—trust in God—Follow His commandments—walk uprightly before the Lord—,” bitterly I quoted, but Paul stopped me.

  “That is what I said, Tanya. You wouldn’t understand, yet sometimes tonight there has been that in your voice that makes me think that you might. You do not speak as your mother when she speaks of God.” There was question in his voice and I wished that I had not let my feelings show in my scornful words.

  “I do understand one thing. You say our people have lost their religion—they no longer call on God—well, why should they? What has He done for us these past years, these centuries? Why should we hold up a forgotten promise for the world to laugh at and throw back in our faces? Of what good is a promise that becomes meaningless?”

  “Tanya, please, you have said more than you should. Yet, if I had not been talking so much to Dal, I would feel as you do. I wish I could fit the pieces together as he did for me. It seems all a jumble now. One thing he said I remember clearly—over and over he repeated that we think we have seen disaster, but that we have not yet seen the real time of ‘Jacob’s trouble.’ He told me that when I came here. We talked often before I sailed, and he said that I would not find the Jews thinking as I felt sure they would be thinking. He told me that they were without God—that they were, for the most part, unbelievers. I would not accept that. I believed that we were God’s chosen people, and that as His people we would build here a kingdom, an empire if you prefer. Call it pride, or conceit—anything you wish, but that is why I came. I immediately started out to help bring about this empire—we have been working steadily and it seemed the plan would really solve everything. Now, I don’t know.

  “I have argued and talked, but so few people came here for the same reason that I did. They came because they had nowhere else to go. Like you, Tanya, and like your mother, although I am sure that she wanted to come, because she believed God’s promises without understanding, perhaps, but believing nevertheless.”

  “What has all this to do with tonight, Doctor?” Ahmed interposed.

  “I wish I knew—yet in a way I do. The calling out of this ‘unnatural branch,’ I think he called it, would make the way clear for the time of Jacob’s trouble.”

  “Why?” I asked bluntly.

  “It all goes back to us again. We have come back to the land but with unrepentant hearts. More Jews curse God than praise Him. How can God help us, if we will not call upon Him to help?”

  “All right, so we are unrepentant. What are we supposed to be repenting, outside of losing faith in a God who has continually let us down?” I was becoming tired and confused.

  Paul’s eyes clouded and I saw him lift a shaking hand to wipe moisture from his lips. Had he missed the answer? Fearfully, slowly, then he spoke. We had to lean very close to hear him speak. His answer was more puzzling than the question.

  “If—if what Dal—said was true—I may have been helping make the biggest mistake ever made by man in over 1900 years!”

  13

  THE PRINCE ARISES

  FURTHER DISCUSSION was impossible, and Paul seemed to welcome the interruption as early risers began drifting in following the sound of the radio. Horrified discussion rose around us as more appalling news came in over the air lanes. A doctor had been in the midst of a delicate operation which only his skilled hands were capable of completing—suddenly he was gone—factories and offices were crippled as workers failed to appear—gigantic machines raced wildly with no hands to guide them—furnaces with tons of molten liquids burst, as unwatched pressure rose to the explosion point—frantic mothers, wives, sweethearts, husbands, brothers, sons, streamed in and out of police and radio stations or harassed the telephone operators. There was scarcely lull enough in the screaming radio stories for us to tell of our own part in this frightening melodrama.

  Always emotional, our audience let their nerves climb the scale of high-pitched tension so that the wild shriek of sirens almost escaped our hearing. One man on the edge of the excited Babel heard this new, alarming sound and managed to gain our attention.

  “Listen!” Sharply his admonition cut across the voices and created a deep silence through which the sirens shrilled their warning and their command. It was the signal which meant attack!

  So much confusion around my already exhausted body was too much. I collapsed against mother—Paul thrust me into her arms, not knowing of the breach between us. She did not refuse to take me but led me away to the quiet of her room. Once there I could not lie still. The windows looked out across the wall and the yard below. We strained against the glass to see our people scurrying to take their assigned places, we saw that drills and careful planning were bearing fruit. Nevertheless, our numbers seemed pitifully few against the swarming Arabs riding down from the hillside to join others out of sight behind the wall.

  Shots rang out as a thousand Arab voices shrilled out their defiant warnings. Our guns answered but it was not fear of them that suddenly stopped the onrushing attackers. Their headlong plunging was halted. A moment they hung, as if uncertain which to obey, then yelling their taunting threats they rode swiftly up the hills from whence they had come. There a lone Arab stood waiting. The winds whipped his flowing garments about his legs, the early sun glinted on the incongruous amplifying machine that was carrying his voice almost to our ears. His command had recalled the attackers and puzzled we watched as they swallowed him up in their midst, listening to what he had to say.

  Our men kept their places, nonplussed, yet glad for even additional moments in which to prepare to meet the oncomers again. A woman came running out of the recreation room waving her hands and shouting. Mother opened the window and we leaned out to hear her.

  “Simon! Doctor! Everybody! Listen! The radio—an announcement just came through—come quick!—” We lost her words as she turned the corner to find our leaders.

  Wonderingly we leaned out of the window to watch the men coming in. As they came, I looked only at Paul. There was a reluctance in his steps that caught my eyes. Then he looked up; I saw that his lips were grimly taut.

  “Mother, I feel much better. I want to go down there.” I turned away from the window. She did not seem surprised nor did she forbid.

  The hall was crowded, but as we stopped on the steps we could plainly hear the announcements coming in through the loudspeaker. The tension in the voices was gone, also the fear which had blurred them since midnight. With an exultation that held us spellbound a new message came over and over:

  “Attention everybody! Are you listening? Attention! Lay down your arms! Cease fighting! A world covenant is about to be signed! Leaders, generals, governors, presidents, heads—this is the day you’ve been waiting for. Damon is the authority behind this command. Lay down your arms! Cease fighting! The world Covenant is about to be signed—” over and over the commands came to our astonished ears. Who could this Damon be who gave commands so audaciously?

  “What about it, Simon? Know anything about him, Doctor?” the questions broke about the two in a lull of the broadcasting.

  “Yes, we know him. This is what we’ve been working for—but it was not to have been so soon—” Simon seemed nonplussed, although what difference could another week or even more possibly make!

  The announcer began again:

  “Radio listeners, a command has just gone out which undoubtedly you have heard. As far as we have been able to ascertain it has been heeded without a single instance of demurral! Because of that command fighting has come to a sudden stop in every part of the globe! Because of that command transports are winging their ways through the sky bringing ambassadors to sign the first real peace pact
since the beginning of time! This day, which seemed to have its beginning in catastrophe, is giving us the Covenant which, in turn, gives cause for celebration! This is indeed the Day of days!

  “Whose voice gave the commands? you are asking—a new name is flashing across the sky! Hearken to it, remember it for you will be seeing it, hearing it, speaking it often in these next memorable days! Damon—Prince Damon, if you will! He hesitates to use his title, but call him what you will he was born a prince and comes to us a superman. We shall call him prince gladly! Today comes as no surprise to the diligent planners who have drawn up the Covenant following the clear-cut solutions. Damon’s master-mind conceived them in every dilemma, every problem presented by a world torn by conflicting differences! Neither does it come as a surprise to your government or mine. Every nation, every faction has agreed to the Covenant; only the completion of minor details was awaited before sending their ambassadors to sign it. They are already on their way—a bulletin just received states that the ambassador of nearby Transjordan just arrived at the airport. Others will be coming in. Soon the Covenant, which has been but a dream, will become an actuality!

  “Bulletin: Prince Damon asks that all members of the organizing group repair at once to the Conference City to await further developments.

  “Prince Damon is receiving delegates from the different consulates, assuring him that all ambassadors are indeed on their way—

  “Prince Damon wishes to thank all the sponsors of today’s broadcasts for relinquishing their time to the giving of details of today’s momentous events. It will not be possible to tune in on the first arrivals at Jerusalem’s airport, but the radio men are working. Just as soon as possible we will take you to headquarters where we will try to give you a word-picture of all that transpires.”

  I was bursting with pride! I had known that Paul would find peace for us! Let them give the glory to the new prince—in my heart I knew that Paul’s part had not been small. I had not needed his nod to corroborate my certainty that he was one of those called by the new prince.

  Simon and Paul were consulting in low voices with others of our village leaders, then they turned to push their way through the crowded room toward the stairs. Their way was impeded by the congratulatory throng who constantly caught them to hug, or kiss or clap them on the back.

  “We knew you could do it, Doctor! Simon, you old humbug—never letting on what you were about!”

  Simon laughed, but Paul’s smile was strained and thin. My heart was pounding with pride. I thought that I could understand a little of the disappointment he must be feeling in not having his part in the planning acknowledged at least. Perhaps this Damon deserved none of the acclaim—surely Paul must have been the mainspring, the brain behind the Covenant! I was sure and could scarcely restrain my pride!

  “Oh Paul, Paul! It’s too wonderful! Does it really mean that we will have peace, real peace at last?”

  He nodded slowly, “It seems so, little Tanya. But a plan is, after all, not sure until it has been tried and proven.”

  “But, Paul,” I continued as my hand slid into his and we went up the stair together, “something stopped the Arabs out there.”

  “So far the plan is working, but what of the future? And, if we have bought peace at last—is it worth the price?”

  “Paul! But of course you are joking!” I laughed as I began to carefully pack the worn bag which always seemed to be going or coming in Paul’s hands. “Which shirts shall I put in—the short-sleeved casuals or the dress shirts—?” I turned to hold out two for inspection and surprised Paul, his head in his hands, shivering as I had shivered when fever and terror crowded in upon me. Dropping the shirts I went quickly to lay my shaking hand on his arm; surely he must be ill.

  “Paul, Paul, what is it? Are you sick? Can I get something for you?”

  “No—yes, I’m sick! Sick at heart; yes, sick of soul! You can get me something—someone—bring back Dal! He’s got to tell me so I can be sure—but he did tell me—I am sure!”

  I did not understand his words, but they made me certain that he was ill. I ran down the corridor to bring Simon.

  “What is it, Paul? Tanya said that you were ill.”

  “I’m glad that you came, Simon. We won’t have much chance to talk alone out there. I must sound like an idiot and I-I don’t like this day’s work.”

  “You mean the taking over before we gave the word?” Simon asked slowly. “I thought it wasn’t good at first, but with the world going mad with fear over this epidemic of disappearances—I am inclined to think he timed the announcement wisely. We gave him the authority to act any way he thought good. You’re overwrought and tired. You’ve certainly done more than your share in putting this thing through—you can’t back down now.”

  Ahmed suddenly appeared; in his hands was a tray from which the aroma of hot coffee made us realize that we had not eaten. There had been too much happening for us to take time to eat, but suddenly we knew that we were hungry. Simon, however, would not stay to eat breakfast with us. My mother had gone to find a tray for them. But he cast a worried look over his shoulder as he left.

  “Don’t worry, Uncle Simon, I won’t back down now. I can’t—maybe—maybe Dal was wrong—or, maybe this isn’t what he meant. Or, maybe I can undo it somehow, if it is.” He might as well have been muttering out of delirium for all the sense his words made to us.

  I wanted Paul to explain so many things. But one by one the villagers came to congratulate and to commend Paul for the unbelievable thing that he had helped to bring to pass. So, all too soon, I stood outside watching as the bus came to a flourishing stop to take Simon and Paul out on their wonderful mission. His arm was around me; it seemed to hold me more tightly than ever, but I was glad. I knew that it meant that he did not like leaving me. My time was drawing close—perhaps that was really what was behind his reluctance. It made my heart thrill to think it, and it left my pride in his wisdom free to flaunt itself. To have brought peace to us, to the world was no mistake—I must, myself, have been too sleepy, too overwrought to have heard rightly!

  The bus sped away through the wide-flung gates. The gates swung uncertainly now. With reckless abandon the gateman left them wide open. We watched the bus until it was swallowed up in the green and gold of the orange grove that bore such sweet promise of tomorrow’s harvest.

  14

  THE COVENANT

  THE RADIO PROCLAIMED the Wonder to our listening ears over and over. From all over the world fresh proofs were pouring in that a truce had been called in all the bitter fighting. As the day wore on celebrations broke out in all corners of the war-torn globe. Shouting, singing, hysterical people thronged the streets of the cities and towns big and small. Their voices came to us over the air waves as traveling microphones picked up their chorus and flung it out to find its echo in our small village and in the black tents on the hills. It seemed impossible that, on the strength of the few promises made over the air, the whole world had actually put aside its differences and accepted peace. Yet, it seemed true! As the hours wore on, the peace held.

  We listened breathlessly for each new announcement, counting the ambassadors streaming in to sit with this new Prince. Maps were marked and the feeling of exultation mounted as each country or state was checked showing its ambassador had arrived and admitted that he had come to sign the peace-pact. More information indicated that it was more than a peace-pact. It was a working agreement assuring, in its complex pattern, security to everyone signing it. The security promised peace of mind, peace of heart, freedom from hunger and from cold. If the hinted plan could give to the world those things then surely peace was here to stay. Fear of want, hunger, and cold, led to envy and covetousness and greed! Their path led only and always to war, to conquest, bloodshed and oppression.

  There were a few lulls in the bulletins coming in, but in one brief, attention was given again to the unexplicable disappearances. A new list of important names was given, then cryptically the ann
ouncer added,

  “Too bad that these could not have waited a little longer for the peace to come. Perhaps the world would have proved not so bad a place after all! Certainly today we see it emerging, at last. A New World!”

  And another,

  “Prince Damon, we salute you! We would like to be able to tell everything about this giant among men, but we find that we know too little. There are many kings without thrones but their countries still flourish without them—Prince Damon comes into the world from a people because of whose existence the whole world has been in a turmoil. Unselfishly, wholeheartedly he has sought solution to the problems of his oppressed people but not theirs alone; he has looked beyond to find the answers for those of the whole world!—”