The Mammoth Book of Travel in Dangerous Places (21 page)

He muttered a repetition of his threat. “Bear witness, all here present,” said I, raising my voice so as to be heard from one end of the room to the other, “that if any mishap
befalls my companion or myself from Ri’ad to the shores of the Persian Gulf, it is all ’Abd-Allah’s doing. And the consequences shall be on his head, worse consequences than he
expects or dreams.”

The prince made no reply. All were silent; Mahboob kept his eyes steadily fixed on the fireplace; ’Abd-el-Lateef looked much and said nothing.

“Bring coffee,” called out ’Abd-Allah to the servants. Before a minute had elapsed, a black slave approached with one and only one coffee-cup in his hand. At a second sign from
his master he came before me and presented it.

Of course the worst might be conjectured of so unusual and solitary a draught. But I thought it highly improbable that matters should have been so accurately prepared; besides, his main cause of
anger was precisely the refusal of poisons, a fact which implied that he had none by him ready for use. So I said, “Bismillah,” took the cup, looked very hard at ’Abd-Allah, drank
it off, and then said to the slave, “Pour me out a second.” This he did; I swallowed it, and said, “Now you may take the cup away.”

The desired effect was fully attained. ’Abd-Allah’s face announced defeat, while the rest of the assembly whispered together. The prince turned to ’Abd-el-Lateef and began
talking about the dangers to which the land was exposed from spies, and the wicked designs of infidels for ruining the kingdom of the Muslims. The Kadee and his companions chimed in, and the story
of a pseudo-darweesh traveller killed at Derey’eeyah, and of another (but who he was I cannot fancy; perhaps a Persian, who had, said ’Abd-Allah, been also recognized for an intriguer,
but had escaped to Mascat, and thus baffled the penalty due to his crimes), were now brought forward and commented on. Mahboob now at last spoke, but it was to ridicule such apprehensions.
“The thing is in itself unlikely,” said he, “and were it so, what harm could they do?” alluding to my companion and myself.

On this I took up the word, and a general conversation ensued, in which I did my best to explode the idea of spies and spymanship, appealed to our own quiet and inoffensive conduct, got into a
virtuous indignation against such a requital of evil for good after all the services which we had rendered court and town, and quoted verses of the Coran regarding the wickedness of ungrounded
suspicion, and the obligation of not judging ill without clear evidence. ’Abd-Allah made no direct answer, and the others, whatever they may have thought, could not support a charge abandoned
by their master.

What amused me not a little was that the Wahh
bee prince had after all very nearly hit the right nail on the head, and that I was snubbing him
only for having guessed too well. But there was no help for it, and I had the pleasure of seeing, that though at heart unchanged in his opinion about us, he was yet sufficiently cowed to render a
respite certain, and our escape thereby practicable.

This kind of talk continued awhile, and I purposely kept my seat, to show the unconcern of innocence, till Mahboob made me a sign that I might safely retire. On this I took leave of
’Abd-Allah and quitted the palace unaccompanied. It was now near midnight, not a light to be seen in the houses, not a sound to be heard in the streets, the sky too was dark and overcast,
till, for the first time, a feeling of lonely dread came over me, and I confess that more than once I turned my head to look and see if no one was following with “evil,” as Arabs say,
in his hand. But there was none, and I reached the quiet alley and low door where a gleam through the chinks announced the anxious watch of my companions, who now opened the entrance, overjoyed at
seeing me back sound and safe from so critical a parley.

Our plan for the future was soon formed. A day or two we were yet to remain in Ri’ad, lest haste should seem to imply fear, and thereby encourage pursuit. But during that period we would
avoid the palace, out-walks in gardens or after nightfall, and keep at home as much as possible. Meanwhile Aboo-’Eysa was to get his dromedaries ready, and put them in a courtyard immediately
adjoining the house, to be laden at a moment’s notice.

A band of travellers was to leave Ri’ad for Hasa a few days later. Aboo-’Eysa gave out publicly that he would accompany them to Hofhoof, while we were supposed to intend following
the northern or Sedeyr track, by which the N
’ib, after many reciprocal farewells and assurances of lasting friendship, should we ever meet
again, had lately departed. Mobeyreek, a black servant in Aboo-’Eysa’s pay, occupied himself diligently in feeding up the camels for their long march with clover and vetches, both
abundant here; and we continued our medical avocations, but quietly, and without much leaving the house. At the palace all were busy about the departure of the Hareek contingent, which now set out
on its ’Oneyzah way by Shakra’, but marched, contrary to expectation, without ’Abd-Allah, that prince reserving himself for the arrival of the artillery, which was daily expected
from Hasa, under the charge of Mohammed es-Sedeyree. Amid all this movement and bustle no particular enquiry was made after us; the tempest had been followed by a lull, and it was ours to take
advantage of this interval before a new and a worse outburst.

During the afternoon of the 24th we brought three of Aboo-’Eysa’s camels into our courtyard, shut the outer door, packed and laded. We then awaited the moment of evening prayer; it
came, and the voice of the Mu’eddineen summoned all good Wahh
bees, the men of the town-guard not excepted, to the different mosques. When
about ten minutes had gone by, and all might be supposed at their prayers, we opened our door. Mobeyreek gave a glance up and down the street to ascertain that no one was in sight, and we led out
the camels. Aboo-’Eysa accompanied us. Avoiding the larger thoroughfares, we took our way by bye-lanes and side passages towards a small town-gate, the nearest to our house, and opening on
the north. A late comer fell in with us on his way to the Mesjid, and as he passed summoned us also to the public service. But Aboo-’Eysa unhesitatingly replied, “We have this moment
come from prayers,” and our interlocutor, fearing to be himself too late, and thus to fall under reprehension and punishment, rushed off to the nearest oratory, leaving the road clear. Nobody
was in watch at the gate. We crossed its threshold, turned south-east, and under the rapid twilight reached a range of small hillocks, behind which we sheltered ourselves till the stars came out,
and the “wing of night,” to quote Arab poets, spread black over town and country.

We drew a long breath, like men just let out of a dungeon, and thanked heaven that this much was over. Then, after the first hour of night had gone over, and chance passers-by had ceased, and
left us free from challenge and answer, we lighted our camp-fire, drank a most refreshing cup of coffee, set our pipes to work, and laughed in our turn at ’Abd-Allah and Feysul.

So far so good. But further difficulties remained before us. It was now more than ever absolutely essential to get clear of Nejed unobserved, to put the desert between us and the Wahh
bee court and capital; and no less necessary was it that Aboo-’Eysa, so closely connected as he was with Ri’ad and its government, should seem
nohow implicated in our unceremonious departure, nor any way concerned with our onward movements. In a word, an apparent separation of paths between him and us was necessary, before we could again
come together and complete the remainder of our explorations.

In order to manage this, and while ensuring our own safety to throw a little dust in Wahh
bee eyes, it was agreed that before next
morning’s sunrise Aboo-’Eysa should return to the town, and to his dwelling, as though nothing had occurred, and should there await the departure of the great merchant caravan,
mentioned previously, and composed mainly of men from Hasa and Kateef, now bound for Hofhoof under the guidance of Aboo-Dahir-el-Ghann
m. This
assemblage was expected to start within three days at latest. Meanwhile our friend should take care to show himself openly in the palaces of Feysul and ’Abd-Allah, and if asked about us
should answer vaguely, with the off-hand air of one who had no further care regarding us. We ourselves should in the interim make the best of our way, with Mobeyreek for guide, to Wadi
Soley’, and there remain concealed in a given spot, till Aboo-’Eysa should come and pick us up.