Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/267

 238 maddening the Syrians to bloody revenge. Still, he took no immediate action. Biding his time, he waited to see what the new Caliph might do. Had ʿAlī been wise, he would have used the angry Syrians to take vengeance on the regicides, and in so doing crush as well the rising rebellion of the Arab tribes. In this work they would have been his strongest help; for Syria never suffered from the Bedawi turbulence which kept Al-ʿIrāḳ and Egypt in continual turmoil. It had been the early and favourite field of Ḳoreish, who, settling there more largely than elsewhere, found their influence, in consequence, all the better recognised. Moreover, they inhabited the Syrian cities in common with the Christian population, which had surrendered for the most part on favourable terms. Society was thus throughout all classes orderly and loyal; whereas Al-Baṣra and Al-Kūfa were filled with restless headstrong Arab tribes which held the conquered lands to be their own especial patrimony. Law prevailed in Syria; in Al-ʿIrāḳ and Egypt petulance and pride of arms. Syria was, moreover, attached to the Umeiyad stock, and so remained faithful to the end.

The Syrians had not long to wait the outcome of ʿAlī's plans. His abortive attempt to supersede Muʿāwiya, and refusal to arraign the regicides, gave colour to the charge of collusion with them; and having the bloody shirt ever before their,eyes, the Syrians soon raised the cry against the Caliph. The majesty of outraged law must now be vindicated; and if the assassins were not pursued to justice, who but ʿAlī was to blame? Damascus was in this excited temper when ʿAlī's letter reached Muʿāwiya. At the first no answer was vouchsafed. The envoy kept in waiting witnessed day by day the gathering storm. At last Muʿāwiya sent a despatch—stranger than ever had been seen before.. The cover was superscribed with this address; From Muʿāwiya to ʿAlī, and bore the seal of State. There was no other word, all was blank within. The despatch was carried by Ḳabīṣa, a Bedawi chief, and with him the Caliph's envoy was given permission to depart. Arriving at Medīna three months after ʿOthmān's death, Ḳabīṣa presented the letter to ʿAlī, who broke the seal impatiently. "What meaneth this?" he cried, starting at the blank despatch;—"let the enigma be explained."