Page:Ossendowski - The Fire of Desert Folk.djvu/127

Rh "As he spoke, the face of the sultan shone with inspiration, and his eyes were full of joy and enthusiasm. The chiefs surrounding the sherif were astonished; astonished also were the knights, Irams, ulema and the revered Walls, inasmuch as nothing was to be seen on the rivercut plain save the green of the vegetation and the blue of the streams. Understanding the astonishment of all, the sultan exclaimed:

"'You are as blind as moles, and your souls are as slaves enchained, for I say unto you that I see before me an immense city with thousands and thousands of homes, splendid palaces, rich mosques, striving skyward with their minarets; crowds of people, among them angels, messengers of Allah! O great Allah, Khalek (Creator), Khaled (Pre-eternal), make it to be so, that this city become the home of science, wisdom and faith; ordain that here Thy laws be honored and that the inhabitants remain faithful to the Koran and faithful in prayer as long as this city shall exist, this city which I now begin to build.'

"Saying this, Idris began to draw in the sand before him a plan of the walls and of the principal buildings of the town. As he drew, the master was approached by an unknown man in rags, girt about with a rope. The stranger had long, matted hair and beard, carried a curved pilgrim's staff in his hand and bore beneath his arm a human skull and a cross, the symbol of Aïssa.

"'I am a Nasrani and live the life of an eremite. I have dwelt here in these mountains for many years. I have had a vision that a great army would come here under the command of a powerful leader, and the One