Go to, or I will summon thee before thy Cadi;'
and, so saying, he turned towards the tomb.
'By the eyes of my mother, the dog jeers us! But that we are already
late, and this horse is like an untamed tiger, I would impale him on the
spot. Speak to the dog, Mustapha! manage him!'
'Worthy Hebrew,' said the silky Mustapha, advancing, 'apparently you are
not aware that this is our Lord Alschiroch. His highness would fain walk
his horse through the burial-ground of thy excellent people, as he is
obliged to repair, on urgent matters, to a holy Santon, who sojourns on
the other side of the hill, and time presses.'
'If this be our Lord Alschiroch, thou doubtless art his faithful slave,
Mustapha.'
'I am, indeed, his poor slave. What then, young master?'
'Deem thyself lucky that the gate is closed. It was but yesterday thou
didst insult the sister of a servant of my house. I would not willingly
sully my hands with such miserable blood as thine, out away, wretch,
away!'
'Holy Prophet! who is this dog?' exclaimed the astonished governor.
''Tis the young Alroy,' whispered Mustapha, who had not at first
recognised him; 'he they call their Prince; a most headstrong youth. My
lord, we had better proceed.'
'The young Alroy! I mark him. They must have a prince too! The young
Alroy! Well, let us away, and, dog!' shouted Alschiroch, rising in his
stirrups, and shaking his hand with a threatening air, 'dog! remember
thy tribute!'
Alroy rushed to the gate, but the massy lock was slow to open; and ere
he could succeed, the fiery steed had borne Alschiroch beyond pursuit.
An expression of baffled rage remained for a moment on his countenance;
for a moment he remained with his eager eye fixed on the route of his
vanished enemy, and then he walked slowly towards the tomb; but his
excited temper was now little in unison with the still reverie in
which he had repaired to the sepulchre to indulge. He was restless and
disquieted, and at length he wandered into the woods, which rose on the
summit of the burial-place.
He found himself upon a brow crested with young pine-trees, in the midst
of which rose a mighty cedar. He threw himself beneath its thick and
shadowy branches, and looked upon a valley small and green; in the midst
of which was a marble fountain, the richly-carved cupola,[4] supported
by twisted columns, and banded by a broad inscription in Hebrew
characters. The bases of the white pillars were covered with wild
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