Page:William Muir, Thomas Hunter Weir - The Caliphate; Its Rise, Decline, and Fall (1915).djvu/272

 656] admitted this; and, now thoroughly alarmed, gave orders that the column destined for Syria should march instead to Nejd, hoping thereby to intercept the rebels on their way to Al-Baṣra. But the people still hung back. At last a column of 900 men was got together, at the head of which ʿAlī himself marched hastily in pursuit of the insurgents; but on striking the Mecca road he found that they had already passed. Not being equipped for further advance, he halted there. Messengers were sent to Al-Kūfa, Egypt, and elsewhere, demanding reinforcements; and for these the Caliph waited before he ventured forward.

To return to ʿĀisha. The insurgent army, having resumed its march, reached Al-Baṣra, and encamped close by. Messages were exchanged, and Ibn Ḥoneif, the governor, aware that the cry of vengeance on the regicides really covered designs against his master ʿAlī, called an assembly, to try the temper of the people. Finding from the uproar that the strangers had a strong party in the City, he put on his armour, and, followed by the larger portion of the citizens, went forth to meet the enemy, who, on their side, were joined from the town by all the malcontents. A parley ensued. Ṭalḥa, the favourite at Al-Baṣra, Az-Zubeir, and even ʿĀisha with shrill voice, all three declaimed against the murderers of ʿOthmān, and demanded justice. The other side were equally loud in their protestations against ʿĀisha and her attack upon their City. It was a shame, they said, and a slight on the memory of the Prophet for her to forego the sanctity of the Veil, and the proprieties of "Mother of the Faithful." ʿAlī had been duly elected and saluted Caliph; and now Ṭalḥa and Az-Zubeir were treacherously violating the allegiance which they had been the first to swear. These, again, both protested that the oath had been forced upon them. On this point the controversy turned; and from words they fell to blows. Night interposed; but fighting was resumed the following day, and with so serious a loss to the loyalists that a truce was called, and agreement come to, on the understanding that the facts should be ascertained from Medīna. If force had really been put upon Az-Zubeir and Ṭalḥa to take the oath, then Ibn Ḥoneif would retire and leave the City in their hands.