Hasan - A Novel Part 2

Every person watched, fascinated, as that awful creature waltzed across the ocean, now leaning toward the ship, now artfully retreating. In a moment it would tire of its game and descend upon the ship and tear it apart and smash the fragments, wood, cloth and bone, into the hun- gry wake.

"Kill the magician!" the captain cried. "He is responsi- ble for this. Appease that marid!"

The crewmen rushed upon Bahram in a body. The Persian drove them back temporarily with threats and demonic gestures, for they were all afraid of him still, and the big eunuch got between them again. Three men bore him down; a knife flashed, the ship rocked, and suddenly the slave was crawling across the deck, bleeding from a gut wound. Once more the ship pitched, and he rolled over the edge of the deck and disappeared.

The two young servants screamed and tried to escape. They too were caught and sacrificed. Only the Persian himself remained, as the crewmen gathered to bring down the last of the supernatural's grievances. As they delayed, in a larger swell of the sea that forced them all to cling frantically to the tenuous woodwork, Bahram somehow made his way to Hasan and cut his ties.

"It was a mistake, my son," he shouted through the gale. "I do not mean to sacrifice you. Come, I will dress you in fine raiment and take you back to your native land. We are friends!"

The marid lifted its tail into itself and whirled back into the clouds. It had spared the ship. The wind eased and the waves subsided. "You see!" Bahrain harangued the crew- men. "There is no quarrel between me and Allah; none between me and this fair lad. The marid was only pa.s.sing by, and you chose to interpret this as divine intent. You are attacking us for nothing!" And he put his arm around Hasan and kissed him on the cheek.

The captain hesitated. "Is this true, O man of Ba.s.sorah?"

Hasan was too confused by the storm and the abrupt change in his situation to answer immediately. "Of course it's true!" shouted the Persian, instilling belief by the power of his voice. "The marid has gone and Allah has made the water quiet. What other evidence do you need?"

Still the captain hesitated, fingering his knife. He was not, in the clutch, a timid man, and he did not change his mind easily. "I want an answer of the boy, the one you have tied and beaten."

Hasan gathered his wits. Certainly he could never trust the Persian again, and would be foolish to throw away this chance to eliminate him permanently. One word would do it- He opened his mouth, but Bahram spoke first, directly and compellingly. "O my son, in the name of Allah, forgive me for the evil I have done you and do not seek revenge. Let me prove to you how sure a friend I can be. I repent my cruelty to you, and wish only to make amends."

Hasan had thought he hated this man, but there was something so touching and persuasive about the magician's present appeal that he knew he could not go through with it.

"You see," Bahram shouted immediately to the crew, "he does not wish my end. Forget the matter and go about your business!" And the captain, an honest but uncertain man, in the face of Hasan's silence, obeyed.

Things were considerably more pleasant after that. Hasan was provided with good clothing and permitted to perform his ablutions in the prescribed manner. Several members of the crew joined him every day. Bahram said no more about fire worship, though he did not honor Allah either. Everyone was friendly now and Hasan learned many things about the structure and handling of a ship.

Several days were required to repair the sail and the other damaged sections of the ship. Hasan was anxious to com- mence the journey home, but somehow, in those idle days, he found himself agreeing to Bahrain's proposal that they proceed to the original destination.

"O my son, surely you don't believe that I ever in- tended you evil? I was only testing you in order to be certain that you were indeed a devout servant of Allah and a fit match for my lovely daughter. Only in the heat of the fire can the surest sword be tempered. And you have vindicated yourself gloriously! How can you give up the marvelous adventures that await you, now that you have proven your right to them? Do you want them to laugh in Ba.s.sorah and say 'Hasan journeyed three months, but changed his mind in sight of adventure'?"

"What adventure is this?" Hasan asked cautiously.

"O my son, we are bound for the Mountain of Clouds, the most magnificent mountain in the world, upon whose summit are the ingredients for the elixir that makes gold. You want to make more elixir, don't you?"

"Yes, but-"

"I knew you would agree. I knew you had the heart of an adventurer. Oh, it is a place of rare enchantment and beauty, the like of which few men are privileged to see. You will find it fascinating, this mountain in Serendip."

Hasan look up from the restless waves. "Serendip? You mean the island Sindbad visited?"

"Who?"

"Sindbad the Seaman. He's famous in Ba.s.sorah. He-"

Bahram smiled indulgently. "Believe me, Hasan, his name will never be known beyond your city. A common seaman!"

Thus Hasan discovered one day that he had agreed to go on, although he remained leery of the Persian's friendly words. The ship set sail once more for the fabled land Hasan had read about, that nothing now could keep him from: Serendip. Perhaps, on his return, he would pay a call on the seaman. ...

More weeks pa.s.sed. They left behind the marvelous country of Hind, where monstrous elephants were said to roam wild, and bore south along a mountainous coast. Finally the land curved again, and they faced the rising sun; then at last the ship bore north. It was as though they had circled the world and were ascending its far side. Then they cut east again, directly out to sea-and new land came into view. Serendip at last!

The green surf broke against shallow islands under the water and sent white breakers foaming onto the beach. Familiar palm trees came up to the sh.o.r.e here and there, but the rest of the scenery was strange. The sands were not white, but colored-pebbles of white and yellow and sky-blue and black and every other hue, intermixed with un- usual rocks. And in the shallow waters were remarkable fishes, no less colorful than the stones, and even stranger marine formations. Bahrain had been right: this was a land of adventure!

"O my son," the Persian said, "Make ready, for this is the place we desire. We must go ash.o.r.e."

Hasan was delighted at the news. He wanted nothing better than to run along that bright beach and to explore the magic landscape beyond. This was a far cry from Ba.s.sorah! He could see already that the earth was not brown, but red, as though the blood of a G.o.d had colored it. He no longer regretted his decision to continue the voyage.

But he had uneasy second thoughts when he observed Bahram making arrangements with the captain, who was to remain behind with the ship and safeguard the goods aboard. He had thought, somehow, that the entire party was coming along, and did not relish the solitary company of the magician. Yet of course the ship could not be deserted . . . and the land excursion should not take long.

He made up a pack of supplies, and was ready, physically and emotionally, when the time came to jump into the shallow waves and wade ash.o.r.e. The adventure had begun!

Chapter 3. Mountain of Clouds

They left the beach and marched inland, east, until the ship and the sea itself were out of sight. After a few miles Bahrain called a halt, set down his pack, and took out a kind of kettledrum fashioned of copper and a silken strap. Hasan marveled at the man's possession of such a useless object, here in the wilderness, but said nothing. The Persian was full of surprises.

Bahram set up his drum and began beating it regularly with the strap, so that it made a rhythmical music. Hasan stared. Had the man come this far merely to hear himself play? Allah did not approve of music-but this was ridicu- lous! Or was the man contemplating some kind of sinister spell, of which this was but the prelude? Hasan once more regretted his actions; he should never have come ash.o.r.e, away from the friendly captain and crew. He was without protection now.

"Something bothering you, my son?" Bahram inquired.

"I-".

The beat was never faltered. "By the truth of the Fire and the Light," Bahram said, "you have nothing to fear from me. If I hadn't needed you to accomplish this exploit, I would never have brought you ash.o.r.e. I tell you that the adventure we have had is as nothing compared to what lies ahead. But if you would rather give up and return. ..."

"No sir," Hasan said quickly, irked at his own timidity. He was free, wasn't he? If the Persian intended foul dealings, Hasan could always outrun him, couldn't he?

The monotonous beat continued for half an hour. A cloud of dust appeared across the plain. Was it an attack?

"Don't alarm so easily, boy." Bahram said, amused. "Re- joice-for that cloud is what we have been waiting for."

Hasan, only moderately rea.s.sured, watched as the dust swelled and advanced, coming directly toward them. After a while he was able to make out the shapes of three dromedaries, sleek and riderless, and he laughed to think of his fears about the jinn.

The animals came right up to the magician, who put away the drum and caught hold of the leading one. "Hang our supplies on this beast," he grunted. "We'll ride the other two."

This was unexpected. Hasan had a.s.sumed that their destination was within walking distance of the ship. The use of these camels meant a much longer trip. But he lacked the courage to protest now; he mounted, and soon they were riding in style across the countryside.

As they moved inland the palms became scattered and in time disappeared entirely. The plain dried out, although it was hardly hot by the standards of Arabia. The camels picked up speed as the ground increased in firmness; but as the hours pa.s.sed Hasan grew bored. His attention ex- panded to embrace the landscape, and he began to realize what exotic marvels he had hitherto shut out in his concern for his own affairs.

There were clumps of trees, like little islands or oases, scattered throughout the plain, and occasional boulders hundreds of feet high, and many strange plants and bushes between them. Hasan had never seen such ma.s.ses of sheer stone, for there was nothing of the kind in all Ba.s.sorah or the lands about it. Meandering ditches contained stagnant water, which in turn contained fat and lazy crocodiles three times the length of a man, which at least he could recognize. A number of rats scuttled out of the way, and once he saw a python, longer than a crocodile, which quickly disappeared in the brush. Undoubtedly much more animal life existed, but it kept out of sight.

They were still on the plain as the sun sank. Hasan was afraid to inquire how much farther they were to journey, for he might not like the answer. Bahrain rode stolidly ahead, making no conversation; he might have been asleep, from his appearance, but when Hasan guided his mount to one side the magician quickly turned his head to cover him.

They halted beside a great mangrove tree growing near a muddy river. Branches spread out in every direction, and new shoots, or perhaps new trees, sprouted from the main body to make a wonderland forest by itself. They ate from the supplies the third camel carried and spread out blankets amidst the tangled jungle of roots for the night. Hasan performed his evening prayers, facing toward the setting sun, while Bahram gazed on contemptuously.

Hasan lay on his back and stared at the sky. The land was dark, but the sky was deep blue, merging into quiet flame shot with brilliant streamers of gold. A lone hawk seemed to hang motionless far above, and the piping of the frogs grew loud. The sky flushed slowly red, clouds be- came dark, and finally the day was gone.

The scene and sounds were not unlike those of the land around Ba.s.sorah. He found them novel because he had never before slept in the wilderness, so close to it all.

Hasan did not drift quietly to sleep. He rolled about in his blanket, as swarms of mosquitoes attacked, and slapped at the p.r.i.c.ks of biting crawlers. He still did not entirely trust Bahram, and peered through the darkness to see whether the wrapped shape of the magician had moved. Hard roots appeared under his body where none had seemed to be when he lay down, and he fidgeted constantly in a fruitless effort to find a really comfortable bed.

The raucous screeching of birds woke him at daybreak. A flock of peafowl were scratching nearby-beautiful birds with elaborately colorful tails, but the ugliest voices imag- inable. (Hasan did not know the name of the creatures of Serendip at this point, but later he was to become so thoroughly familiar with them that it seemed he had never been in ignorance.) A closer motion caught his eye, and he froze in terror as he recognized a deadly cobra sliding between him and the Persian. But the snake paid him no particular attention; it was neither bold nor timid, and after a while Hasan saw that it did not possess a hood. It was merely a snake resembling the cobra, and was probably as harmless as such creatures cared to get. It disappeared into an especially thick tangle of roots, somewhat to his relief. In a moment he heard the dying screech of a small rat, and understood the business of the snake.

Hasan stretched-and discovered something hanging from his arm. It was a leech-a legless thing an inch long, fastened to his flesh by means of a large sucker. He yanked it off instinctively-and the creature, already partly gorged on his blood, left its teeth in his body. The bite itself had been painless, but now there was an angry, smarting wound. He was nauseated.

After the morning ablution-Hasan disliked using the slimy water of the river, but there was nothing else-they ate and remounted the camels. Another long day's journey commenced.

This continued for several days. The forests gradually became thicker and richer and animal life increased. Hasan actually saw elephants browsing in the distance, and nearer at hand were hares and pig-like creatures. There were many insects, both flying and crawling; they had to detour at one point around a marching column of warrior ants, complete with sentinels and scouts, and Hasan was stung horrendously by a hornet once. The pain and swelling were terrible; he was sure that anyone who blundered into a colony of such insects would be lucky to escape with his life.

By day they had to struggle through the thickening growths and entangling vines of the forest, scratched and sweltering. Thorn bushes ran their cables from the branches of larger trees and stretched across the animal trails; sev- eral times it was necessary to backtrack, yielding to the impregnable branches.

In the evenings swarms of flying insects appeared, fol- lowed by crows and rarer birds, and bats of all sizes filled the air. At night the crawling insects took over, horrible in the flickering firelight. Some were actually harmless, like the six-inch millipede Bahram picked up carelessly and tossed away; but others were deadly, like the foot-long dark-purple scorpion that, figuratively, picked up the Persian and tossed him away. Hasan learned very quickly which creatures to fear, and when to choke back laughter, by observing Bahram's reactions.

Morning again, and Hasan was amazed at the profusion of spider webs sparkling in the dew. They covered every tree and bush and were strung from rock to rock and across the pathways.

This was a strange kingdom, but its appeal gained on Hasan as he adapted to its rigueurs. Never had he seen such proliferation of plant-life, so many unusual animals. Hordes of chattering monkeys swung through the trees and paced the travelers for hours at a time. Hasan threw a stone at one, and after that was constantly pelted with fruit. The monkeys swung closer and closer, daring him to make another hostile move, but he had learned his lesson.

Seven days pa.s.sed, and in all that time the one animal he discovered conspicuously missing was the camel. Could the three trained beasts they rode be the only ones of their type on the island? Were they, the most ordinary living things he had encountered here, apart from the palms and mosquitoes, actually of magical derivation? If the com- monplace were magical and the extraordinary natural, what might he antic.i.p.ate at the end of this journey?

During the seventh day they encountered the mountains. Progress slowed, as the animals toiled up gradual but wearying slopes, or were led through rough terrain. The vegetation became jungle-thick, and many more birds, animals and insects appeared. The leeches, here in the hills, were twice the size of the few he had met on the plain, and infested the foliage; he was glad he was able to ride most of the time. The mountains were beautiful, and frequently they were refreshed with rain.

As they pa.s.sed through a long gorge, Hasan looked up to spy the first evidence of man in this strange land: high on the tallest mountain in the east was a beautiful green dome, and beside it an emerald structure flashing in the sun. "O Uncle," he exclaimed, "what is that on the mountain?"

"A palace," Bahram said, but he did not sound pleased.

"Are we going to spend the night there? Is that our destination?" Hasan longed for the comforts of civilization.

Bahram grew angry, for no reason Hasan could fathom. "Don't be foolish, boy. Don't even mention that foul place to me, understand? It is the abode of jinn, ghouls and devils. An enemy of mine lurks there."

"An enemy? What did he do to you?"

"I said I didn't want to talk about it!" Bahram shouted, red with rage. And talk he did not; they rode for the rest of the day in silence.

Hasan was sorry to leave the palace behind. Even from this distance it was the most beautiful structure he had ever seen, scintillating like a jewel set in the mountain, and its aura of enchantment fascinated him. Could ghouls and devils really create such loveliness? Once this mission had been accomplished, he intended to visit that palace, regardless. . . .

They fared on through hills, forests and fields of increasing splendor. The weather changed abruptly; ma.s.sive clouds loomed above, sprewing lightning and thunder and bringing a deluge upon their heads. This was a new and frightening phenomenon to Hasan. Rains were rare in Arabia, and more seemed to fall here in a single hour than in a year at home. Though it did not last long, its wasteful force was shocking. Hasan and Bahram could not talk at all, even by shouting, in the torrential wash of liquid. Flash floods filled the gullies and valleys; trees were undermined by the seething currents, and some were uprooted.

Suddenly the heavens brightened and the sun came out as though it had never departed, warm and friendly, and the steaming jungle smiled as though it had enjoyed its purge.

The mosquitoes thinned and vanished as elevation increased, but the leeches were worse. Animals were everywhere-deer, monkeys, bear, anteaters, and even p.r.i.c.kly porcupines inhabited the ma.s.sed trees. By day and night, Hasan could hear the sounds of the struggle in the wilderness, as the ceaseless compet.i.tion for existence drew startlingly near. Beautiful mats of flowers covered the fields, oblivious to that struggle, and orchids bloomed wherever the sun pierced the forest foliage.

The trail curved until they faced directly west, and finally north again. Hasan knew they were near the end of the long trek. He became uneasy.

Bahrain pulled up at the crest of a low hill. "O Hasan, what do you see now?"

Hasan stared ahead. "I see a monstrous wall of cloud from east to west."

"That is neither cloud nor mist," Bahram said, "but one vast mountain that splits the clouds and reaches above them. There will be sunshine on the top while there is a raging storm below. And that is what we came for."

"A mountain?" Now he remembered the Mountain of Clouds.

"A mountain. What I require is on its summit, and I cannot complete my task without your help."

Hasan's alarm flared up. In just what manner did the magician intend to use him? "By the right of what you worship, tell me what you have in mind!" His eye was on the surrounding jungle. He would not risk that leech-infested wilderness on foot unless he had to; but if the Persian- Bahram looked at him as though reading his thought. "My son," he said with deceptive gentleness, "you know that it is through the practice of alchemy that I am able to transform copper into gold. The manufacture of the essen- tial powder requires many exotic ingredients; but the rarest of them all is derived from a herb that is found only at the top of that mountain, and nowhere else in all the world. I propose to send you up there to fetch it for me; and when we have it, I will show you the secret of this craft which you are so interested in learning. Surely you understand this?"

"O, of course, Uncle," Hasan agreed, not certain what it was he was supposed to understand, but compelled by the hypnotic eye and tone of the older man. He was afraid; he despaired of ever returning home to Ba.s.sorah, yet he could not discover any pretext to beg off this project now. Everything was so reasonable when the magician spoke. . . .

They moved nearer to the foot of the mountain, which was farther away than Hasan had supposed, and larger. He could hear the booming of a swollen river cascading a few hundred or a few thousand feet to the side, and rolling thunder echoed from cliff to cliff. Sheer sheets of rock, impossible to climb, fronted the mountain. Hasan looked at these and became faint. He was not an athlete, and would surely die if he were to attempt so precipitous an ascent.

Bahram observed his fright and came over to rea.s.sure him. "O my son, I can understand your concern about this matter, but I a.s.sure you that everything will work out exactly as I planned." He kissed the young man's cheek. "Bear me no ill will for the manner in which we began this voyage, for I will make up for that by guarding you carefully on your trip up the mountain. You will not have to risk your life in an impossible climb; I have a special method to get you safely to the top. Once you are there, follow my instructions and do not play me false, and you and I shall share appropriately in the profit."

"To hear is to obey," said Hasan, hardly rea.s.sured.

Bahram opened a bag and removed a small handmill and some wheat. He ground the grain and kneaded three round cakes from the flour; then he made a fire and baked the hard bread. He sprinkled the cakes with some strong-smelling herbs, so that their odor was not at all appetizing. Hasan watched with worried curiosity. Who was supposed to eat this mess?

The camels had drifted off. The Persian summoned them with his drum and took hold of the one Hasan had ridden. He drew his knife and slit the animal's throat.

Hasan had seen animals slaughtered before, of course, but this was unexpected. His camel had been in good health, they were not in need of the meat, and Bahrain had not pointed its head toward Mekkeh while it bled to death, in the manner prescribed for anything killed for food.

He watched, disgruntled, as the magician followed up the pointless slaughter by slicing open the animal's stom- ach and disemboweling it. He severed the head, legs, and tail and sc.r.a.ped the inside clean until hardly more than an empty sh.e.l.l remained.

"Now attend," he said to Hasan, wiping the blood off his hands. "I want you to lie down inside this skin, and I will sew it up again so it looks like an entire carca.s.s. Then I'll withdraw a certain distance, leaving you here, and after a while the roc will come and carry you to the top of the mountain, thinking this to be its meal. Take this knife with you, and when you feel the bird land, slit open the skin and come out. The bird will take fright, for it is very shy in spite of its size, and will fly away. Then walk to the edge of the cliff and call to me, and I will give you further instructions."

Hasan had misgivings and a thousand questions about this procedure. There seemed to be many important things unexplained. For instance- "You want to make the elixir, don't you, boy?"

"Yes, but-"

"You don't want to climb that cliff yourself, do you, boy?"

"No, but-"

"You're not afraid of a little blood, are you?"

"Of course not!" But he was sick as he looked at the gutted camel.

"Can you suggest any better way to get there?"

Hasan was silent. The air-route alarmed him for many reasons, but the towering mountain-face was worse. How had he gotten himself committed to this? Why was the magician able to manage him so easily?

Bahrain's piercing eye was upon him. He tried once more to protest, but his mind was a whirl of voiceless doubt. He gritted his teeth and climbed into the camel.

The carca.s.s was still warm, the blood still sticky. Hasan controlled his rebellious stomach with difficulty. Bahram handed him a leathern bottle full of water-"You'll be up there a few hours, gathering the herb"-and placed the three redolent cakes beside him, as though appetizers for the main portion which was himself, the entree for a feast of ghouls. "These are to attract the roc, and draw it to you from a distance."

Then he brought forth an enormous needle, threaded it with a strong gut line, and sewed Hasan up.

Hasan heard the man's feet retreating and knew he was on his own at last. He clutched the knife, thankful that at least he had the ability to cut himself free if he lost his nerve. The stench of the cakes mixed with that of the seeping blood and his own profuse sweat and stale breath to form a palpable mist. Every breath festooned his lungs with new nausea.