The Prince of India, Volume I

fore the p

imoom so stifling that it plunged every breathing thing into a struggle for air. The dogs burrowed in the shade of old walls; birds flew about with open beaks; the herbage wilted, and the leaves on the stunted shrubs ruffled, the

nce of India but illustrated the rule. He left his tents pitched close to those of the Emir El Hajj and the Scherif of Mecca, under the Mountain of Mercy, as Arafat was practically translated by the very faithful. Having thus assured the safety of his property, for conveniency a

f light green paper, the Prince appeared in front of the chief entran

esh and spotlessly white. Passing slowly on, they were conducted under several outside

ether by arches, which in turn supported domes. Numbers of people, bareheaded and barefooted, to whom the heat outside was insupportable, were in refuge there; some, seated upon the stones, revolved their rosaries; others wa

first object to challenge his attention was the Ka

hen a third pavement defined by gilded posts upholding a continuous row of lamps, ready for lighting at the going down of the sun. The last pavement was of gray granite polished mirror-like by the friction of millions of bare feet; and upon it, like the pedestal of a monument upon a plinth, rested the base of the Holy House, a structure of glassy white marble about two feet in height, with a bench of sharp inclination from the top. At intervals it was studded with massive brass rings. Upon th

n waiting with him. In a space too brief for the formulation of words, he felt the Arbitership of his dreams blow away. The work of the founder of Islam was too well done and now too far gone to be disturbed, except with the sanction of God. Had he

ers before you have found the House at

pparition was absolute, and comparison unavoidable. That he, familiar with the glory of the conception of the Israelite, should be thought blinded by this Beit Allah of the Arab, so without grace of form or lines, so primitive and expressionless, so palpably uninspir

nized as praying places. A stream of worshippers was circling around the marble base of the Most Holy, some walking, others trotting; these, arriving at the nort

Allah! I wil

ople-Islam, it was clear, would lend him n

to the space in front of the well Zem-Zem; mindful of the prayers and pros

urrounded by a throng

nce of India!" the guide yelled. "The

him, a score of Zem-Zemis refilled their earthen cups with the bi

party turned away there were jars paid for to help a

ciful to him, O Allah," the crowd

e would have conducted the Prince next, was greater than at the well. Each was waiti

which they were generally stained. The diversities the penitential costume would have masked were effectually exposed whenever mouths opened for utterance. Many sang, regardless of time or melody, the tilbiye they had hideously vocalized in their advance toward the city. For the m

d bodies, the tossing of bare arms and distended hands, the working of tearful faces turned up to the black-curtained pile regardless of the smiting of the sun-here men on their kne

calling him, t

op of his voice. "Room for the beloved of t

here the curtain was looped up, seemed struggling to embrace the House; suddenly, as in despair he beat his head frantically against the sharp corner-a second th

known personally most of the great men of that world-its poets, lawmakers, warriors, ascetics, kings-even the Prophet. And now they came one by one, as one by one they had come in their several days, and kissed the i

ce to this point, the Jew had promptly followed his guide, especially in recitation

in thy Book-I believe in thy Word-I believe in t

o obey the law which required them to come and make proof of faith before this Stone! The Innumerables, lost at sea, lost in the desert-lost body and soul, as in their dying t

ed the votary. The Phariseeism in which he was born and bred, and which

om the shelf of the base, the man had been turned upon his back, so that he was lying face upward. On the forehead there were tw

dying," the P

end to the prayers," the guid

l die, if n

shed, the porters

stirred, then

f India!" he said f

ent down to ge

Yellow Ai

e, the words were full

said, with absolute self-possession. "Th

here and there over the throng, as if

st Merciful! It is

martial figure of the young chief in his arms and ar

ing," passed rapidly

refrain; after which the ejaculati

thee from fire!-Shadow him, O Allah, in thy sha

eeth down to the larynx, shouted shrilly the inscription on the marble over the breast of the Prophet-"In the name o

ld die at the base of the sanctuary, in the crowning act of the Hajj, was a grace of God. Each felt Paradise stooping low to receive a martyr, and that its beatitude was ne

hat had not before occurred to him. In the estimation of the Mohammedan world, the role of Arbiter was already filled;

s dying of

atant crowd take to its heels, and hie away into

than before. "The Yellow Air hath blow

Prince of the Happy! Peace be with thee, O Lion of Allah

exulting above the horrors of disease, above the fear of death-Faith bidding Death welcome! His arms fell down. The crowd, the sanctuary, the

ete my vows;" he said to his guide. "For the

effected with

action of his sovereign, he struggled resolutely with the disease. After securing the Scherif's receipt he bore up long enough to superintend the pitching his camp. Believing death inevitable, he was carried into his tent, where he issued his final orders and bade his atten

promise with people so devoted to their religion. There was nothing for him but to make haste to Constantino

reached Jedda, where he found his ship waiting to convey him across the Red Sea to the African coast. The embarkation was without in