The Wanderer by Mika Waltari Read Free Book Online Page A

chain about our necks although we had accepted the one God and therefore ought not to have been bound. In happy ignorance of our slavery and the Law of the Prophet my dog followed close at heel sniffing avidly at all the new smells, which were indeed plentiful in this squalid haunt. Next came the galley slaves carrying the plunder, which had been divided up into many bundles and boxes to make it seem more than it was. Lastly followed Captain Torgut and his men, who strove to utter cries of triumph. The townspeople hurried after us too, politely screaming out their blessings in the name of Allah. Only the merchants, gathered in front of their booths, pointed contemptuously at us with their thumbs. Giulia had been arrayed in her best clothes and now rode heavily veiled upon a donkey immediately behind Torgut, attended by four men armed with scimitars.
    The gates of the kasbah were opened wide, and on either side of them we saw sun-dried human heads, impaled on hooks fixed to the wall. In the middle of the great courtyard was a basin of hewn stone surrounded by grass. Prisoners and slaves who lay dozing in the shade sat up and gazed at us dully. Torgut, having sent his men in with the booty, left them to wait by the well. Andy and I were also left alone and Giulia dismounted from her donkey to join us. To show compassion in the name of Allah, Torgut’s men loosed the seamen’s bonds and let them drink from the fountain. I drank, too, for a beautifully wrought copper cup was chained to the rim, and I marveled at the excellence of the water, having yet to learn that by the commandment of the Koran there must always and in every place be fresh water available to the thirsty.
    Sinan the Jew was in no hurry to see us, and Torgut’s men squatted patiently down upon the ground to wait. Andy was astonished, and remarked, “The customs of sea warfare are evidently different from those on land, for if these lads had been Germans or Spaniards they’d have had a good fire going by now and a roast and casks of ale, and the wine jar would be passing from hand to hand; there’d be swearing and brawling and dicing, with the camp drabs busy in the shade of the wall. We’ve come a long way from Christendom.”
    While Andy was yet speaking, Captain Torgut’s savage Negro stepped up to him, bringing an Italian as interpreter, who said, “Mus- suf the Negro is angry because you treacherously seized him from behind and threw him into the sea. He could not be revenged at that time, since the Law of the Prophet forbids dispute among the faithful in time of battle. But now he would measure his strength with you.”
    Andy could hardly believe his ears.
    “Dares that poor wretch really challenge me? Tell him I’m too strong to fight with him, and let him go in peace.”
    The Negro jumped up and down, rolled his eyes, and insulted Andy, beating himself on the chest and tensing his muscles. Andy, to give friendly warning of his own strength, rose from the millstone he had been sitting on, bent down to grasp it and lifted it smoothly above his head. Not content with this he put his left hand behind him and held the huge stone on his right hand alone. When Torgut’s men saw this, many of them rose and gathered about him, until he let the stone fall to the ground with a mighty thud.
    The Negro in his turn bent down and with enormous effort raised the stone in his arms; but twist and struggle as he might he could not lift it above his head. His legs began to tremble; he dropped the stone and if Andy had not skipped aside his toes would have been crushed. He admonished the Negro mildly, but the man rolled his eyes worse than ever, and the Italian said, “Be on your guard, for Mussuf threatens to throw you over the wall. But if you’ll try an honest fall with him he’ll not be too rough with you.”
    Andy put both hands to his head.
    “One of us three is mad. But I’ve warned the fellow; now he shall get what he asks for.”
    He took off the