登陆注册
5421900000055

第55章 On Board the Galley(5)

"Now," he said to Lozelle, "bid your sailors haul up the anchor, and let us begone for Syria.""But," answered the knight, "we have neither food nor water for more than one day.""I care not," answered Hassan, "as well die of thirst and starvation on the sea as rot here with fever.What we can bear these Cyprian gallants can bear also.Bid the sailors lift the anchor and hoist the sail, or I loose my scimitars among them."Now Lozelle stamped and foamed, but without avail, so he turned to the three lords, who were pale with fear, and said:

"Which will you do: find food and water for this ship, or put to sea without them, which is but to die?"They answered that they would go ashore and supply all that was needful.

"Nay," said Hassan, "you bide here until it comes."In the end, then, this happened, for one of the lords chanced to be a nephew of the Emperor, who, when he learned that he was captive, sent supplies in plenty.Thus it came about that the Cyprian lords having been sent back with the last empty boat, within two days they were at sea again.

Now Rosamund missed the hated face of the spy, Nicholas, and told Hassan, who made inquiry, to find--or so said Lozelle--that he went ashore and vanished there on the first day of their landing in Cyprus, though whether he had been killed in some brawl, or fallen sick, or hidden himself away, he did not know.Hassan shrugged his shoulders, and Rosamund was glad enough to be rid of him, but in her heart she wondered for what evil purpose Nicholas had left the ship.

When the galley was one day out from Cyprus steering for the coast of Syria, they fell into a calm such as is common in those seas in summer.This calm lasted eight whole days, during which they made but little progress.At length, when all were weary of staring at the oil-like sea, a wind sprang up that grew gradually to a gale blowing towards Syria, and before it they fled along swiftly.Worse and stronger grew that gale, till on the evening of the second day, when they seemed in no little danger of being pooped, they saw a great mountain far away, at the sight of which Lozelle thanked God aloud.

"Are those the mountains near Antioch?" asked Hassan.

"Nay," he answered, "they are more than fifty miles south of them, between Ladikiya and Jebela.There, by the mercy of Heaven, is a good haven, for I have visited it, where we can lie till this storm is past.""But we are steering for Darbesak, not for a haven near Jebela, which is a Frankish port," answered Hassan, angrily.

"Then put the ship about and steer there yourself," said Lozelle, "and I promise you this, that within two hours every one of you will be dead at the bottom of the sea."Hassan considered.It was true, for then the waves would strike them broadside on, and they must fill and sink.

"On your head be it," he answered shortly.

The dark fell, and by the light of the great lantern at their prow they saw the white seas hiss past as they drove shorewards beneath bare masts.For they dared hoist no sail.

All that night they pitched and rolled, till the stoutest of them fell sick, praying God and Allah that they might have light by which to enter the harbour.At length they saw the top of the loftiest mountain grow luminous with the coming dawn, although the land itself was still lost in shadow, and saw also that it seemed to be towering almost over them.

"Take courage," cried Lozelle, "I think that we are saved," and he hoisted a second lantern at his masthead--why, they did not know.

After this the sea began to fall, only to grow rough again for a while as they crossed some bar, to find themselves in calm water, and on either side of them what appeared in the dim, uncertain light to be the bush-clad banks of a river.For a while they ran on, till Lozelle called in a loud voice to the sailors to let the anchor go, and sent a messenger to say that all might rest now, as they were safe.So they laid them down and tried to sleep.

But Rosamund could not sleep.Presently she rose, and throwing on her cloak went to the door of the cabin and looked at the beauty of the mountains, rosy with the new-born light, and at the misty surface of the harbour.It was a lonely place--at least, she could see no town or house, although they were lying not fifty yards from the tree-hidden shore.As she stood thus, she heard the sound of boats being rowed through the mist, and perceived three or four of these approaching the ship in silence, perceived also that Lozelle, who stood alone upon the deck, was watching their approach.Now the first boat made fast and a man in the prow rose up and began to speak to Lozelle in a low voice.As he did so the hood fell back from his head, and Rosamund saw the face.It was that of the spy Nicholas! For a moment she stood amazed, for they had left this man in Cyprus; then understanding came to her and she cried aloud:

"Treachery! Prince Hassan, there is treachery."As the words left her lips fierce, wild-looking men began to scramble aboard at the low waist of the galley, to which boat after boat made fast.The Saracens also tumbled from the benches where they slept and ran aftto the deck where Rosamund was, all except one of them.

同类推荐
  • 释迦佛赞

    释迦佛赞

    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。
  • 演道俗业经

    演道俗业经

    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。
  • 太清调气经

    太清调气经

    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。
  • 金渊集

    金渊集

    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。
  • 提纲释义

    提纲释义

    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
  • 太古战帝诀

    太古战帝诀

    【火爆畅销】“世间若无不朽法,此生便做无敌人!”轮回战帝君陌尘,历经九世轮回,在即将触碰到圣境之时却意外重生。这一世,他逆天修行,收绝色美人,势要万古长存而不灭!书友群:631714592
  • 至尊天道

    至尊天道

    神尊望着萧煜身后的三十多种神兽惊骇出来:五爪金龙,金晴灵猴,火麒麟,冰风,混沌龙龟。。。。。还有那个黄色的小东西是什么?而且这些你怎么可能收服?萧煜冷笑一声,道:没有什么不可能的,本少天生就是玩神兽的,至于那个小东西是“皮卡丘。”一个二十一世纪少年屌丝,意外穿越修真界得到皮卡丘,从此一发不可收拾。以鸿蒙正天道,以神兽收天下,以红颜乐逍遥。我本一介草根,但我不服天、不信命!既然上天不让我死,我便要与天搏、与命斗!我要以我之躯,俯视苍穹!小三读者群(278024143)欢迎各位读者大大加入!
  • 圣邪子

    圣邪子

    龙星生活在一个叫做圣邪大陆的世界,他在挫折中成长,突破一个又一个的瓶颈,最终走向巅峰!圣邪十族、魔界生物、圣天学院,无数强者、势力围绕在龙星身边,这是为何?无数的谜团等待着他去解开!所有的一切,就在一个偏僻的小山村中,拉开序幕.....
  • 农女修仙外传

    农女修仙外传

    农家少女夏拒寒,父母惨死。千辛万苦拜了师父,却被托付给不靠谱的小师叔;以为成了天下第一修仙大派的弟子,其实只是后备队员;理论考试结束,又来实战考核……这就觉得苦啦?更苦的还在后头!
  • 最强崩坏系统

    最强崩坏系统

    一个平凡少年,携最强系统,崩坏诸天万界。
  • 穿越:邪帝的妃(全本)

    穿越:邪帝的妃(全本)

    她穿越到了两千年后的雪域帝国,与东雪域帝国之主白帝一见钟情。白帝特许她挑选一名奴隶做侍卫,奴隶市场,一名全身镣铐的男人冷不叮的攥住了她的手,他的嘴角阴鸷的勾起,蓝眸中闪动着掠夺的光芒:“娘子,请买下我!”她好心救他脱离水深火热,让他在她的身边做一名贴身侍卫,他却在趁机毁掉她所有的一切,而他竟是雪域帝国黑暗的主宰——另人闻风丧胆的夜帝。★★传言:夜帝只爱一个女人,他身边的女人个个因为像她而存在!最像的就是她……本文故事地点为假想的两千年后,背景是虚构的未来亚洲大陆,不是真实的,大家不要拿来跟古代比较,也不要跟现代比较,更不要跟西方比较,比较的结果会让你疯狂,哈哈……★★
  • 民国枭雄:杜月笙

    民国枭雄:杜月笙

    作者以杜月笙的生平为主线,查阅大量海内外档案、史料,真实再现杜月笙跌宕起伏、风云变幻的一生:一个来自乡下的孤儿,单枪匹马闯入上海滩,一路扶摇直上成为上海滩的黑帮大亨,而且将触角伸向金融、工业、新闻报业、教育等领域,成为当时上海滩的风云人物,与蒋介石称兄道弟,与宋子文交往甚密,与戴笠义结金兰……杜月笙说:“钱财用得完,交情吃不光。所以别人存钱,我存人情。”杜月笙就像一个五彩缤纷的多棱镜,稍微旋转一下,就能展示出截然不同的色彩。生意场上,他机灵诡诈;社交场上,他长袖善舞。
  • 白玄的穿越日常

    白玄的穿越日常

    当白玄成为至高真神的唯一使徒后,日子就过的越来越精彩了……
  • Attack of the BULLIES (NERDS Book Five)

    Attack of the BULLIES (NERDS Book Five)

    The grand finale to the New York Times bestselling series, Attack of the BULLIES stars Ruby Peet, aka Agent Pufferfish, the team captain with super nanobyte-enhanced allergies. Pufferfish leads the team in their latest case: the kidnapping of the president's daughter. But the NERDS discover she hasn't been kidnapped—she's been recruited. Their former librarian, Ms. Holiday, has started a rival organization called BULLIES, who each have their own nanobyte-enhanced upgrades. The BULLIES' plan: go back in time to make sure NERDS never existed! When Ruby's teammates begin to vanish one by one, she enlists Agent Brand and Heathcliff Hodges to go back to the 1970s and help the original nerdy secret agents make sure that the future is not erased from existence! Attack of the BULLIES promises action, humor, and a dramatic conclusion to the series.
  • 我路过时王的假面骑士

    我路过时王的假面骑士

    其实就是一个来自异世的大佬,在时王世界安安分分地过日子,顺带教教主角,偶尔还跑到异世界玩一玩。对夏诺来说,从他来到这个世界开始他都没有过过一个安静日子。对于常磐庄吾来说,夏诺绝对是一个温柔体贴(大雾?)的前辈。对于盖茨和月读来说,夏诺就是一个神秘的人,拥有强大的实力,却是随心所欲。夏·超神秘·特强大·只想安安分分·大佬·诺:我说只是想过个安稳日子而已,然而总有些家伙来烦我。心累。