登陆注册
5147700000099

第99章

There were two small mean houses on the opposite side of the alley, and Ben Aboo tried to take refuge in the first of them.But the woman who came with uncovered face to the door was the widow of the mason who had built his strong-room."Murderer and dog!" she cried, and shut the door against him.He tried the other house.It was the house of the mason's son."Forgive me," he cried."I am corrected by Allah! Yes, yes, it is true I did wrong by your father, but forgive me and save me." Thus he pleaded, throwing himself on the ground and crawling there."Dog and coward," the young man shouted, and beat him back into the street.

Ben Aboo's terror was now appalling to look upon.His face was that of a snared beast.With bloodshot eyes, hollow cheeks, and short thick breath, he ran from dark alley to dark alley, trying every house where he thought he might find a friend.

"Alee, don't you know me?" "Mohammed, it is I, Ben Aboo.""See, El Arby, here's money, money; it's yours, only save me, save me!"With such frantic cries he raced about in the darkness like a hunted wolf.But not a house would shelter him.

Everywhere he met relatives of men who had died through his means, and he was driven away with curses.

Meantime, a rumour that Ben Aboo was in the streets had been bruited abroad among the people, and their lust of blood was thereby raised to madness.Screaming and spitting and raving, and firing their flintlocks, they poured from street into street, watching for their victim and seeing him in every shadow.

"He's here!" "He's there!" "No, he's yonder!" "He's scaling the high wall like a cat!"Ben Aboo heard them.Their inarticulate cries came to him laden with one message only--death.He could see their faces, their snarling teeth.Sometimes he would rave and blaspheme.

Then he would make another effort for his life.But the whirlpool was closing in upon him; and at last, like one who flings himself over a precipice from dizziness, fears, and irresistible fascination, he flung himself into the middle of the infuriated throng as they scurried across the open Feddan.

From that moment Ben Aboo's doom was sealed.The people received him with a long furious roar, a cry of triumphant execration, as if their own astuteness at length had entrapped him.He stood with his back to the high wall; the bellowing crowd was before him on either side.By the torches that many carried all could see him.

Turban and shasheeah had fallen off, and the bald crown of his head was bare.His face retained no human expression but fear.

He was seen to draw his arms from beneath his selham, to hold both his money-bags against his breast, to plunge a hand into the necks of them, and fling handfuls of coins to the people."Silver," he cried;"silver, silver for everybody."

The despairing appeal was useless.Nobody touched the money.

It flashed white through the air, and fell unheard."Death to the Kaid!"was shouted on every side.Nevertheless, though half the men carried guns, no man fired.By unspoken consent it seemed to be understood that the death of Ben Aboo was not to be the act of one, but of all."Stones," cried somebody out of the crowd, and in another moment everybody was picking stones, and piling them at his feet or gathering them in the skirt of his jellab.

Ben Aboo knew his awful fate.Gesticulating wildly, having flung the money-bags from him, slobbering and screaming, the blighted soul was seen to raise his eyes towards the black sky, his thick lubber lips working visibly, as if in wild invocation of heaven.At the next instant the stones began to fall on him.Slowly they fell at first, and he reeled under them like a drunken man; the back of his neck arched itself like the neck of a bull, and like the roar of a bull was the groan that came from his throat.Then they fell faster, and he swayed to and fro, and grunted, with his beard bobbing at his breast, and his tongue lolling out.Faster and faster, and thicker and thicker they showered upon him, darting out of the darkness like swallows of the night.His clothes were rent, his blood spirted over them, he staggered as a beast staggers in the slaughter, and at length his thick knees doubled up, and he fell in a round heap like a ball.

The ferocity of the crowd was not yet quelled.They hailed the fall of Ben Aboo with a triumphant howl, but their stones continued to shower upon his body.In a little while they had piled a cairn above it.Then they left it with curses of content and went their ways.When the Spanish soldiers, who had stood aside while the work was done, came up with their lanterns to look at this monument of Eastern justice, the heap of stones was still moving with the terrific convulsions of death.

Such was the fall of El Arby, nicknamed Ben Aboo.

同类推荐
  • Man of Property

    Man of Property

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 滹南遗老集引

    滹南遗老集引

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • TYPEE

    TYPEE

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Lady Susan

    Lady Susan

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 春来频与李二宾客郭

    春来频与李二宾客郭

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 鼓励孩子50招

    鼓励孩子50招

    本书正是秉承了鼓励的原则,并将这一原则贯穿到书中的50种方法中,从学业、面对挫折、责任、求知欲、沟通、身体锻炼、心灵成长、创新精神和社会交际等方面,同父母们一起探讨如何让孩子更加自由自在地成长为一个睿智的、和善的、负责任的、独立思考的、积极进取的、身体强健的、社会需要的人才。
  • 不灭战魂

    不灭战魂

    一次奇遇后,废材叶东获得《惊天战诀》。从此后,战魂不灭!敌人必灭!美人必泡!友人必帮!奇遇不断!彪悍到底!成为战天大陆之王!
  • 历代赋评注(南北朝卷)

    历代赋评注(南北朝卷)

    本书是目前篇幅最大的一部历代赋注评本。书中对入选作家的生平和作品的背景均作了介绍。第一卷开篇除以“总序”对赋的特质及其同汉语与中华文化的血肉关系、赋在中国和世界文学史上的地位作了概括论述之外,还在评注前撰文《赋体溯源与先秦赋概述》,以下各卷在评注前也都有“概述”,对该时期赋的主要作家、重要作品、创作成就和主要特色等有简略而精当的论述,以与书中的作者简介、各篇题解及品评形成点、线、面结合的关系,从而便于读者在阅读作品及评注过程中形成对该时期赋吏的整体认识。
  • 集注太玄经

    集注太玄经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 锐读(第5期·悬疑新主张)

    锐读(第5期·悬疑新主张)

    《惊奇档案》专栏编辑,觅骨寻踪,亲历惊奇与惊险,探寻神秘的不可思议,用科学的态度解读怪谈与诡闻。
  • 穿越生死线

    穿越生死线

    “日本人杀人啦!”“日本人杀人啦!”喊声从屋外破门而入的时候,我还睡在床上做美梦。近几天,老天一直闹脾气,阴雨哭哭啼啼,连绵不断,所以跑进来的喊声也是湿漉漉的。我没能听清他们喊的什么,但声音里的紧迫却一下子把我的睡意全部赶跑了。翻身起床,就见父母和妹妹站在门口,朝村子呆呆地望着。我大声问:“他们喊什么呀?”妹妹转过身望了我一眼:“说日本人杀人啦。”妹妹叫段功惠,九岁。她的脸上全是平平坦坦的坦荡,似乎是在说一个遥远的故事。轰隆一声,我心里就炸了。抬眼朝村子望去,发现各条路上,挤满了疯狂向山上逃窜的人们。
  • 大智大勇的探险家(1)(世界名人成长历程)

    大智大勇的探险家(1)(世界名人成长历程)

    《世界名人成长历程——大智大勇的探险家(1)》本书分为玄奘、达·伽马、斯坦利等部分。
  • 闺谋天下:宦王的惑国毒妃

    闺谋天下:宦王的惑国毒妃

    她是二十一世纪惊才艳绝的首席特工,他是琰戈大陆威名赫赫的闲散宦王!三世为人,她遇上他!他诓她,骗她,宠她,她该如何修理他?她偷他心,夺他魂,推倒他!然后,嫁给他,嫁给他,嫁给他···生生世世祸害他!江山踩脚下,养只小萌娃,闺中小谋略,毒惑全天下!
  • 帝君一品妃

    帝君一品妃

    新书推荐:《快穿攻略:KISS,妖孽大人!》希望大家喜欢她,身怀异能,一朝穿越,被人打包送上花轿。他,残忍冷酷的玉面阎君,霸道温柔宠溺全都给她。她一心想要回家,更不愿和别的女人共侍一夫,不惜带着包子跑路!男人扬眉,笑得妖孽:“我们可是早就定下了娃娃亲!回家?我家不就是你家?乖,跟本君回家生娃……”她泪奔,究竟谁能来告诉她,她爹她妈她家到底是在哪个时空?姻缘早已注定,遥远的时空也无法阻隔。这世上,如果有一见钟情,那人,必然是你……
  • 共和国勋章

    共和国勋章

    设立国家勋章的意义非常重大,她可以使那些对国家发展和民族振兴作出突出贡献的人们获得相应的荣誉和奖励,名至实归、名副其实。更重要的是,设立国家勋章也是贯彻宪法,贯彻宪法至上精神的具体体现。本书收录了作者收藏的各种类型的勋章,并对其作了详细的介绍。