Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/260

 656] The solemnities of yearly Pilgrimage were now at hand, and ʿOthmān, still mindful of his obligation as head of Islām to provide for their due observance, once more ascended the palace roof. From thence he called for the son of Al-ʿAbbās, one of the faithful party guarding the entrance, and bade him assume the leadership of the band of pilgrims who should now proceed to Mecca;—a duty which, much against his will, as taking him from the defence, he undertook. ʿĀisha joined the party. She is accused of having formerly stirred up the people against ʿOthmān. Now, at anyrate, the impulsive lady shook herself free from the insurgents, and also, in order to detach her brother Moḥammad from their company, besought him to accompany her to Mecca. But he refused.

The approach of succour at last quickening the rebels to extremities, they resolved on a final and murderous attack. Violent onset was made from all quarters, and the forlorn band of defenders, unable longer to hold their ground, retired within the palace gate, which they closed and barred, covering their retreat with a discharge of archery, by which one of the rebels was killed. Infuriated at their comrade's death, the insurgents rushed at the gate, battered it with stones, but finding it all too strong, sat down to burn it. Meanwhile others, swarming in crowds from the roof of an adjoining building, gained easier access, and, rushing along the corridor, attacked the guard still congregated within the palace gate. One of these was slain, Merwān was left half dead, and the rest were overpowered, ʿOthmān had retired alone into an inner chamber of the women's apartments; and there awaiting his fate, read from the Ḳorʾān spread open on his knees. Three ruffians sent to fulfil the bloody work, rushed in upon him thus engaged. Awed by his calm demeanour and plaintive appeal, each returned as he went. "It would be murder," they said, "to lay hands upon him thus."