Chapter CXII
When the first flowers of spring began to blossom yellow in the fields I told Trudy that it was time for us to leave. She looked sad, for I think she did not enjoy this wandering life, but she said nothing. However the day before we were to leave she spoke to me.
"Do we need the sheep any more, Fuad? All these lands are ruled by the Basileus and are at peace. There are no robbers and the roads are good. Surely we could travel faster if we got rid of the sheep and simply rode on the donkeys?"
There was much discussion between us but in the end I could see the wisdom of her words, for at this rate we would both be old by the time we reached the lands of her people. By then, by virtue of good care and good pasture, I had twenty four sheep and the ram, so in the morning I took the animals to one of the farmers in the village and offered them to him. He said that he did not have enough money to buy them, but when I explained why I wanted to sell he offered to exchange an old cart which he had for the sheep and when I said that his cart was old and decrepit and not worth the price of the sheep, he offered to take the donkeys also and give us two mules broken to the cart.
At that I agreed and Trudy's mouth opened wide in astonishment when I returned home driving the cart. I loaded our waterskins and the tent and all our other possessions - which, to tell the truth, were not a heavy load - onto the cart and then Trudy climbed up also and I passed the children up to her and we set off at once.
In two days we came to Smyrna, a journey which would have taken at least a week before, and three days after that came in sight of Pergamon, though we did not turn aside to visit it. Again three days and we came to the foot of Mount Ida where we turned aside from the main road that followed the coast and instead passed to the right of the mountain and wandered through many hills and valleys until, ten days later, we came again to the sea and turned right along the shore.
It was as well that there were people on the road from whom we could ask directions, for now, although the sea was still on our left side, the sun rose in our faces instead of setting before us. Alas, these same people also told us tales that made me wish we had kept the sheep, for these lands were subject to raids by the Turks and the cities like Bursa and Nicea were great fortresses into which people fled for safety. Still, by the mercy of God we were not troubled and at last we drove across a low, flat plain and once more had the setting sun before us as we travelled over the mountains beside the sea until we came to the city of Chalcedon and saw the mighty towers and spires of Byzantium separated from us by a great river which, however, was merely part of the sea.
It was late in the day when we boarded a boat at Chalcedon for the short trip across the water to Byzantium, whose great walls were impressive even from a distance and grew even more imposing as we neared them. Above the walls towered the many buildings of the Imperial Palace and behind them and above them rose the massive block of the Great Church.
All this the sailors pointed out to us with pride as they rowed us across. At first I did not listen to them properly as I waited for the djinn of the sea to make me sick, but it was as the fishermen of Aqaba had said - if the water is calm, there is no problem. Even the mules stood quietly, seemingly unaware that they were not on solid ground. After a while I realised that I was not going to be sick and then I could enjoy the experience of passing so easily and smoothly over water and watch in wonder as we drew nearer to the city.
"We will put you ashore just inside the Golden Horn," the rais of the sailors told us.
I didn't know what this Golden Horn was until they explained that it is a piece of water shaped like a horn that runs beside the walls of the city. They pointed out the towers on either side of the entrance to this Horn from which ran a huge chain that could be drawn up by those appointed for the purpose, to close the Horn so that ships could neither go in nor out.
A few moments later the boat came to the shore and Trudy and I and the children climbed out and the sailors helped us unload our mules and the cart. One of the men directed us to an inn and we went there thankfully and carried our things into a room that was clean and airy and above all had a secure lock.
I stood at the window and looked out over the water towards the land we had left and drew a deep breath.
"By the Prophet, Trudy, I feel safe at last!"
Trudy came and put her arm around my waist and smiled up at me.
"So do I, Fuad." She was silent for a moment and then, "but what I really need now is to have a bath and then to give thanks to God."
We went to the inn-keeper and he directed us to a great hammam which had a women's section and an hour later, feeling clean and wonderfully relaxed, we stood together outside the baths and Trudy said, "Now, let us give thanks to God."
