Chapter XLI
I rode away, down into the valley where we fell into the hands of Hasan ibn-Hamza, but all was still. As the road came out of the wadi I could see, away on my right, the village where we had stayed the night and I wondered how they were faring, but it was well past noon and I rode on in haste to Madeba, reaching there while the red sun was still above the horizon.
In the centre of the village men and boys gathered round me as I watered my horse and one of the boys ran to inform the blind sheikh of the village and returned quickly to summon me to the sheikh's house. One of the men offered to look after my horse while I spoke to the sheikh.
The sheikh was sitting on a divan at the far end of the room and several men were seated along the walls of the room. There was no candle or lamp light - I found later that this was from courtesy to the sheikh, for he, being blind, did not need the light and did not think to call for candles. The only light came from a brazier in the centre of the room.
"I recognise your voice!" the sheikh exclaimed when I greeted him. "Have you been here before?"
"I have," I told him. "A while ago I came with a Frank and a man from Syria. At that time we were going to Aqaba; now I am returning to al-Quds alone."
"We praise God for your safety," the sheikh said. "Your companion, Charles, came through here on his way back to Jerusalem and, indeed, has been here since then, asking for news of you."
He offered me lodging for the night but the priest claimed me and I went with him gladly, for I remembered his kindness and courtesy.
"Ya Papa," I said to him as soon as we entered his house. "I am confused, for as I journeyed I met someone who was a follower of one called Nestorius." I took care to tell him nothing of the one who had spoken to me of that man, for I had no wish to cause trouble for Sitt Katarina.
The priest turned about and stared at me for a long moment, then shrugged his shoulders and sat down on the bed, gesturing to the chair for me.
"I am surprised, for truly I thought that all those enemies of God were gone from our midst. Yet also I am not surprised, for heresy is hard to uproot. Stop your ears from such lies, my son, for these people know nothing that is true. They would make Jesus to be two separate beings, united only in thought and purpose, whereas we know that He was one being, a union of God and man."
I saw that the matter annoyed my host, so I put it aside and spoke of Charles instead.
"He has been here twice," the priest told me. "Once when he was returning from Aqaba and once more when he was given leave by his lord. He said that he came with messages and presents for the sheikh, but all know that he comes for the sheikh's daughter."
"And is the sheikh content?" I asked.
The priest shrugged again. "He is content, for by this means he hopes to have influence among the Franks. I am not content, for it is not right that a daughter of the true church should marry a heretic of a Frank, but my words are unheeded."
"Perhaps, Papa, this is of God," I tried to comfort him. "Perhaps by this means Charles will learn the truth of your faith."
The priest suddenly smiled. "Inshallah, Fuad. Inshallah."
In the morning I bade farewell to the priest and also to the sheikh of the place, then rode easily over the rolling hills to where I could look down into the deep valley of the Salt Sea. From there the path led steeply downwards to where Jericho was half-hidden in the heat haze. I crossed the river at the ford and rode the short distance to Jericho, to the house of Abd al-Wahid, that I might tell him all I had discovered.
I also promised to tell him all that I might learn from the two men of Wadi Musa, for though it was tempting to send them on to ash-Shams to speak with the Sultan, there were some who might consider them to be traitors for having gone with Reynauld. The Sultan was a merciful man, but treason to Islam and with the hated Reynauld de Chatillon might be too much for him to forgive.
As there was still an hour or two until dark, I went on to the tents of my father and slept there with my own family and in the morning I rode up to al-Quds. Despite the heat of the sun the air grew steadily colder as I ascended and I was constantly putting on my cloak and taking it off again in a vain attempt to be comfortable.
The guards on the gate did not recognise me but when I said that I was a squire for es-Sid Guy their captain overheard me and came out and bade them let me pass. After such a long time I had forgotten how confusing the narrow streets of the city were and several times I had to stop and ask directions, but at length I came to the well-remembered doorway and rode into the courtyard, which was quiet and still in the heat of early noon, so quiet that I could hear the fountain splashing through the archway.
I swung down from the saddle a little stiffly and took the horse's reins to lead it to the stable. A servant girl came through the archway carrying a basket of wet washing and stopped, staring at me in surprise. I waved to her and she suddenly dropped the basket and screamed.
"Fuad! Fuad is back!"
She turned and ran up the stairs towards the appartment of Sid Guy, her bare feet pattering on the stones. A moment later the door to the refectory opened and several men of the household appeared and behind them Charles, pushing his way past them to run over to me and clasp my hand.
"Fuad! How are you?"
Before I could answer Hilmi and Babrak ran up and embraced me.
"Fuad! We thought you were lost!" Hilmi exclaimed.
"A bedu cannot be lost in the desert," I said loftily, but before he could reply I was almost knocked off my feet by someone leaping on me from the side and wrapping their arms around me.
"Fuad! Bien venue!" Trudy whispered in my ear and then kissed me on the cheek.
I felt my face burning, for everyone was laughing and pointing at the two of us, but I had no time to push her away for Sid Guy appeared at the top of the stairs and called to me.
"Fuad! I'm glad to see you safe. Trudy, bring him up here. Hilmi, look after his horse, will you?"
Trudy took my hand and led me up the stairs. Guy withdrew into the chamber and Trudy pulled me in to sit at the table where her father was waiting with a glass of wine already in front of him. She sat down beside me and half turned to face me.
"Sid," I raised my hand to my forehead in greeting, "I am sorry that I have been away so long, but I have been as far as Yanbo al-Bahr and I bring you two men who sailed with Reynauld."
"Have you, indeed?" Guy smiled at me. "Tell me all."
