The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, January 8, 1905, Page 2

‘Brethren installments. the second installment of “The Brethren,” H. Rider Haggard's latest novel. “The Brethren” is a stirring romance of the Crusades, and s the author’s entry into the ranks of the writers of torical ro- mance. Although radically more tem- perate than many of the stories that made M Haggard’s fame, “The still possesses all the power 1o interest and hold the reader that purely imaginative s possessed. The Brethren” will appear in five This is , 1904, by McClure, Phillips & Co. ROM that day forward fear settled on the place—fear of some blow that none could foresee, and against which they could not gua Sir Andrew even talked of leaving Steeple and of :.taking up his abode in London, where he thought that they might be safer, but such foul weather set in that it was impossible to travel the roads, and still less to sail the sea. So it + was ranged that if they moved at all—and there pwere many things against it, not the least of which were Sir Andrew's weak health and the lack of a house to go to—it should not be till after New Year's day. Thus the time went on, and nothing hapvened to disturb them. The friends of whom the old knight took counsel laughed at their forebodings, saying that so long as they did not wander about unguarded, there was little danger of any fresh attack on them, and if one should by chance be made, with the aid of the men they had they could hold the hall against a company until help was summoned. Moreover, at heart, none of them be- lieved that Saladin o~ his emissaries would stir in this business before the spring, u: more probably until another year had passed. Still, they always set guards at night, and, besides themselves, kept twenty stout men sleeping at the hall, and arranged also that on the lighting of a signal fire upon the tower of Steeple Church their neighbors should come to succor them So the time went on toward Christ- ‘mas, before which the weather changed and became calm with sharp frost. It on the shortest day that Prior rode up to the hall and told Sir Andrew that he was going to South- minster to buy some wine for their Christmas cheer. The knight asked what wine there was at Southminster. ‘The Prior answered that he had heard that a ship laden among other things with wine of Cyprus of wonderful quality had come into the river Crouch with her rudder broken. He added that as no shipwrights could be got from London till after the ‘ Christmas feast to repair if, the chap- man, a Cypriote, who was In charge of the wine, was selling as much as he could in Southminster and to the houses®about at a cheap rate, and de- livering it by means of a wain that he had hired. > Sir Andrew replied that this seemed a fair chance to get fine liquor, which was hard to come by in Essex in those times. The end of it ‘was that he bade Wulf, whose taste in strong drink was nice, to ride with the Prior into Southminster, and if he liked the §tuff to buy a few casks of it for them to make merry with at Christmas—although he himself, be- cause of his ailments, now drank only water. So Wulf went, nothing loth—for in this dark season of the year when there was no fishing, it grew very Yoitering about the hall, and did not read much, like Godwin, sit- ting for long hours by the fire at night watching Rosamund going to and fro upon her tasks but not speaking with her overmuch. For notwithstanding all their pretense of forgetfulness, some sort of vei! had fallen between the brethren and Rosamund, and their in- tercourse was not so open and familiar as of old. She could not but remember that they were no more her cousins only but her lovers also, and that she must guard herself lest she seemed to show preference to one above the oth- er. The brethren for their part must always bear in mind also. that they were bound not to show their love, and that their cousin Rosamund was .no longer a simple English lady, but also by created rank, as by blood, a prin- cess of the Egst, whom destiny might yet lift beyond the reach of either of them. N Moreover, as has said, dread sat upon the rooftree croaking raven, nor could they escl from the shadow of its wing, Far ay in the ast a mighty monarch had turned his tHoughts toward this English home and the maid of his royal blood ‘who dwelt there and was mingled with his visions of conquest and of the triumph of his faith. Driven on by no dead oath, by no mere fancy of im- perial desire, but by some spiritual hope or need, he had determined to draw her to him, by fair means if he could; if not, by foul. Already means both foul and fair had failed, for that the attack at Death Creek quay had to do with this matter they could no longer doubt. It was certain also that others would be tried again and again till his end was won or Rosa- mund was dead—for here, if even she would go back upon her word, m: riage itself could not shield her. So the old house was sad, and saddest of all seemed the face of the old knight, Sir Andrew, oppressed as he was with sickmess, with memories and fears. Therefore, Wulf could find pieasure even in an errand to Soul to buy wine, of which, in truth, he would ad to drink , Af only the Prior, laughing as he used to do before Rosamund led him to St.-Pe- ter's-on-the-wall to gather flowers. Asking where the foreign merchant dwelt who had wine to sell, they were directed to an inn near the minster. Here in a back room they found a short, stopt man, wearing a red cloth cap, who 'was seated on a pillow be- “tween two kegs. In front of him stood a number of folks, gentry and others, who bargained with him for his wine and the silks and embroid- eries that he had to sell, giving the latter to be handled and samples of the drink to all who asked for them. “Clean cups,” he said, speaking in bad French, to the drawer who stood beside him. “Clean cups, for there comes a holy man and a gallant knight who wish to taste my liquor. Nay, fellow, fill them up, for the top of Mount Trooidos in winter is not so cold as this cursed place to say nothing of its damp, which is that of a dungeon,” and he shivered, draw- ing his costly shawl closer round him. “Sir Abbot, which will you taste first ~—the red wine or the yellow? The red is the stronger, but the yellow is the more costly and a drink for saints in paradise and abbots upon earth. The yellow from Kyrenia? Well, you are wise, They say it was my patron St. Helena's favorite vintage when she visitgd Cyprus, bringing with her Dis- ma’s cross.” “Are you then a Christian?” asked the Prior. “I took you for a Paynim.” “Were I not a Christian would I visit this foggy fand of yours to trade in wine?” answered the n, draw- ing Gside the folds of his revealing a silver crucifix upon his broad breast. ‘I am a merchant of Famagusta in Cyprus, Georgios h‘ name, and of the Greek church, whic! you Westerners hold to be heretical. But what think you of. that wine, holy Abbet?* The prior smacked his lips, “Friend G‘EO‘. it i indeed & drink for the answered. 'Aye, and has hawl and THE SAN FRANCISCO SUNDAY CALL. s~ PRSI AP T A A tony, of whom you, being a learned man, may have heard. And you, sir knight, what say you of the black stuff—'Marvo,” we call it—not the common, bhut that which has been twenty rs in cask?" “1 have tasted worse,” said Wulf, holding out his horn to be filled again. “Aye, and will never taste better if you live as long as the Wandering Jew. Well, sirs,’ may I take your orders? If you are wise you will make them large, since no such chance is likely to come your way again and that wine, yellow or red, will keep a century.” Then the chaffering began and it was long and keen—indeed, at one time they had nearly left the place without purchasing, but the merchant Georglos called them back and offered b very pleasant merchant. * wine than they advantage of his brother, he added 'to it a tunic embroidered with gold and silver flowers such as he had never seen—for they were Hastern $W¥ips and anemones, which Godwin would give her also if he wished. These silks were costly, and Wulf turned to the Prior to borrow money, but he had no more upon him. os said, however, that it mattered nothing, as he would take a guide from the town and bring the wine in person, when he could receive payment for the em- broideries, of which he-hoped to sell more to the ladies of the house. He offered also to go with the Prior and Wulf to where his ship lay in the river, and show them many more oth- er goods aboard of her, which, he ex- plained to them, were the property of a company of Cyprian merchants who had embarked upon this venture joint- ly with himself. This they declined, however, as the darkness was not far off; but Wulf added that he would come after Christmas with his brother to see the ship that had made 80 great a voyage. Georgios replied that they would be very welcome, but if he could make shift to finish the repairs to his rudder, he was anxious to sall for London while the weather held calm, for there he looked to sell the bulk of his cargo. He added that he had expected to spend Christmas at that city, but their helm having gone yl ong in the rough weather, they were riven past the mouth of the Thames, and had they not drifted into that of the Crouch, would, be thought, have foundered. So he bade them farewell » for that time, but not before he had arked and received the blessing of the Prior. Thus the pair of them departed, well pleased with their purchases and the Cypriote Georgios, whom they found a Prior John stopped to eat at the haill that night, when he and Wulf told of ajl their dealings with this man. Sir Andrew Jaughed at the story, showing them bow they had been persuaded by the Fasterner to buy a great deal more eded, so that it was he and not they who had the best of the -bargain. Then he went on to teil tales of the rich island of Cyprus, where he had landed many years before and stayed awhile, and of the gorgeous court of its Emperor and of its inhabit- ants. These were, he sald, the cun- mingest traders in the world—so cun- ning, indeed, that no Jew could over- match them: bold sailors, also, which they had from the Phoenicians of Holy ‘Writ, who, with the Greeks, were their forefathers, adding that what they told him of this Georgios accorded well with the character of that people. Thus it came to pass that no suspi- clon of Georgios or his ship entered the mind of any one of them, which, in- deed, was scarcely strange, seeing how well "his tale held together and how plain were the reasons of his presence” sk vou, and the purpose of his dealings in wines and silks. servant came Into the hall to say that & wain drawn by three horses and accompanied by two men, one of whom led the horses, was coming down the road from Steeple village. “Our merchant—and in time after all,” sald Wulf, and, followed by the others, he went out to receive them. Georgios it was sure enough, wrap- ped up in a great sheepskin coat such as Cypriotes wear in winter, and sea ed on the head of one of his own bar- rels. “Your pardon, knights,” he said as he scrambled nimbly to the ground. “The roads in this country are such thaf, although I have laft nearly half my load at Stangate, it has taken me four Jong hours to come from the Abbey here, most of which time we have spent in mud-holes that have wearied the "WZE YTEZD NOr 20 PIGAYN DOGS AND POISONLEZS " horses and, as I fear, strained the wheels of this crazy wagon. Still, here we are at last, and, noble sir,” he add- ed, bowing to: 8ir Andrew, 'here too is the wine that your son bought of me y nephew,” drew. “Once more your pardon. I thought from their likeness to wou that these knights were your sons.” ‘‘Has he bought all that stuft?” asked Sir Andrew—for there were flve tubs on the wagon, besides one or two smaller kegs and some packages wrap- ped in sheepskin. “No, alas!” answered the Cypriote ruefully, and shrugging his shoulders. “Only two of them, Mavro. The rest I took to the Abbey, for I'understood the holy Prior to say that he would purchase six casks, but it seems that it was but three he needed.” “He said three,” put in Wulf, “Did he, sir? Then doubtless the error was mine, who speak your tongue but ill. So I must drag the rest back again over the accursed roads,” and he made apother grimade. “Yet I will ir,”" he'added to Sir Andrew, “to lighten the load a little by accept- ing this small keg of the old sweet interrupted Sir An- to come to their terms if they would vintage that grows on the slopes of take double the quantity, so as to make CHAPTER VL up a cartload between them, which he Trooidos.™ ell,” said Sir An- said he would deliver before Chrustmas The Yule Feast at Steeple. “I remember it drew, with a smild; “but, friend, I do day. ' To this they consented at length not wish to take“your wine for noth- The fourth day after Wulf's visit to and departed homeward, made happy Southminster was Christmas morning, ing."” by the giffs with which the chapman and the weather being foul Sir Andrew At these words the face of Georgios beamed. 5 clinched the bargain, after the: Eastern fashion. To the Prior he gave a roll and’his household did not ride to Stan- gdte, but attended mass In Steeple ““What, noble sir,” he exclaimed, “do of worked silk to be used as an edging you know my land of Cyprus? Oh, then Church. Here after service, according to an altar cloth or banner, and to indeed I kiss your hands, and surely to his custom on this day, he gave a largesse to his tenants and villeins, and you will not affrony me by refusing Wulf ‘: dagger handle, quaintly carved in olive wood to the fashion of an with it his good wishes and a caution this little present? Indeed, to be frank, rampant lion. Wulf thanked him and then asked him with- a somewhat shamed tace If he had more embroidery for sale, whereat the Prior smiled. The quick-eyed Cypriote saw the smile and inquired if it might be needed for a that they shouid not become drunk at their yuletide feast, as was the com- nion habit of the time. ‘“We shall not get the chance,” said Wulf, as they walked to the hall, “since the chapman Georglos has not 1 can afford to lose its price, who hav done a good trade, even here in Es. iosg 5 e “ “As you will,” sald Sir Andrew. “I thank you, and perhaps you have oth- er things.to sell.” 5 lady’s wear, at which some neighbors “1 have indeed a few embroideries if delivered the wine, of ‘which I hope this most gracious lady would be present in the - room laughed out- right, to drink a cup to-night.”. “Perhaps he has sold it at a better pleased to look at them. Some carpets not_laugh at me, gentlemen,” rice to some one else; it would be also, such as the Moslems used to pray sald the Easterner; “for how L ke a Cypriote,”” answered Sir An. on in the name of their false prophet, a stranger, know this young knight's drew, smi Mahomet,” and turning, he spat upon affairg and whether he has , OF sisters, or wife, or lover? Well, here are broideries fit for any of them.” Then bidding his servant bring a bale, he opened it and began to show his Then he went into the hall, and as had been agreed between them, to- gether the brethren gave their Christ- a.n Rosamund. She thanked em said Sir Andrew. fought against them, T have known many a good Mussul think it necessary to spit at the name the d. "meemlve you are a Christian,” “Yet, although I Iiman. Nor do I 80048, whit lnaufl‘m & m,um:h'mwu, iy gl of gauze-like silk w th stara as a Christmas gift for urchased a vell wi to. prettily eno and much ad- The beauty of the work, Jaugh: ™ thfi ltu{ld of Mahomet, who to my mind was a ',.‘l'mt man, deceived by the artifice “Neither do 1" said Godwin re- '« “It's ‘true servants should the enemies of the cross and pray -sound of for their souls, not spit at them.” The merchant looked at them curi- ouely, fingering the silver crucifix that hung upon his breast. “The captors of the Holy City thought otherwise,” he said, “when they rode into the Mosque El Aksa up to their horses’ knees in blood and I have been taught otherwise. But the times grow liberal, and, after all, what right has a poor trader whose mind, alas! is set more on gain thap on the sufferings of ths blessed son of Mary,” and he crossed himself, “to form a judgment upon such high matters? Pardon me, I ac- cept your reproof, who perhaps am bigoted.” Yet, had they but known it, this “reproof” was to save the life of many a man that night. “May I ask help with these pack- ages?” he went on, “as I cannot open them here, and to move the casks? Nay, the little keg I will carry myself, as I hope that you will taste of it at your Christmas feast. It must be gently handled, though I fear me that those roads of your will not improve its quality.” Then twisting it from the end of the wain to his shoulder in such a fashion that it remained up- right, he walked off lightly toward the open door of the hall. “For one not tall that man is strangely strong,” thought Wulf, who followed with a bale of carpets. Then the other casks of wine were stored . away in the stone cellar be- neath the hall. Leaving his servant, a silent, stupid- looking, dark-eyed fellow named Petros —to bait the horses, Georgios entered the hall and began to unpack his car- pets and embroideries with all the skifl of one who had been trained in the bazaars of Cairo, Damascus, or Nicosia, Beautiful things they were which he had to show: broideries that dazzled the eye.and rugs of many hues yet soft and bright as an otter's pelt. As Sir Andrew looked at them, remembering long dead days, his face softened. “1 will buy that rug,” he said, “for to a truth it might be one on which I lay sick many years ago in the house of Ayoub at Damascus. Nay, I haggle nat at the price. I will buy it.” Then he fell to thinking how, while lying on such a rug (indeed, although he knew it not, it was the same), looking through the rounded Beads of the wooden lattice-work of his window, he had first seen his Eastern wife walking in the crange garden with her father Ayoub. Afterward, still remembering his youth, he began to talk of Cyprus, and so time went on until the dark was falling. Now Georgios sald that he must be going, as he had sent back his. guide to Southminster, where the man '‘de- sired to eat his Christmas feast. So the reckoning was paid—it was a long one —and while the horses were harnessed to the wain the merchant bored holes in the little cask of wine and set spigots in them bidding them all to be sure to drink thereof that night. Then call- ing down good fortune on them for their kindness and liberality, he made his salaams in the Eas again saying that the whee! of the wain had broken at the first turn, so that now it was lying upon its side in the courtyard. Sir Andrew and Godwin went out to see to the matter, and there they found Georgios wringing his hands, as only an Eastern mer- chant can, and cursing in some forelgn tongue. “Noble knights,” h. sald, “what am T to do? Already it is ncarly dark, and how I shall find. my way up yonder steep hill I know not. As for the price- less broideries, I suppuse they must stay here for the night, since that wheel cannot be mended till to-more “As you and your servant had best do also,” sald Sir Andrew kindly. “Come, man, do not grieve; we are used to broken axles here in Essex, and you and your servant may as well eat your Christmas dinners at Steeple as in Southminster.” “I thank you, Sir Knight; I thank you. But why should I, who am but a merchant. thrust myself upon your no- bie company? Let me stop outside with my man, Petros, and dine with your servants in that barn, where I see they are making peady their food.” “By no means,” answered Sir An- drew. “Leave your servant with my people, who will look after him, and come you into the hall, and tell me some more of Cyprus till our Christ- mas meat is ready, which will be soon. Fear not for your goods; they will be placed under cover.” “All unworthy as I am, I obey,” an- swered the polite Georglos. ‘Petros, do you understand? This noble lord gives us hospitality for the night. His serv- ants will show you where to eat and sleep, and help you with your horses.” The man, who, he explained, was & Cypriote—a flsherman in summer and a muleteer in winter—bowed, and fix- ing his dark eyes upon those of his master, spoke in some foreign tongue. “You hear what he says, the silly fel- low?” sald Georgios. “What? You do not understand Greek—only Arabic? Well, he asks me to glve him money to pay for his dinner and his night’s lodg- ing. You must forgive him, for al- though he can speak your language, he is but a simple peasant, and cannot understand that any one may be lodged and fed without payment, I will ex- plain to him, the pig!” And explain he did in a shrill, high notes, of which no one could understand a word. -“There, Sir Knight, I do not think he will of- fend you so again. Ah! look. He is walking offi—he is sulky. Waell, let him alone, he will be back for his dinner, the pig! Oh, the wet and the wind! A Cypriote does not mind them in his i In which he will sleep even So, Georgios, still declaiming upon the shortcomings of hissservant, they went back into the hall. Here the conversation soon turned upon other matters, such as the differences be- tween the creeds of the Greek and Latin churches—a subjéct upon which he seemed to be an expert—and the fear of the Christians in Cyprus lest Saladin should attempt to capture that island. At length 5 o'clock came, and Georgios having first been taken to the lavatory—it was but a stone trough— lo wash his hands, was led to the din- ner, or rather to the supper table, which stood upon a dais in front of the entrance to the solar. Here places were laid for six—Sir Andrew, his nephews, Rosamund, the chaplain, Matthew, who celebrated masses in the church and ate at the hall on fedst days, and the Cypriote merchant, Georgios himself. Below the dais and between it and the fire was another table, at which were already gathered twelve guests, being the chief tenants of Sir Andrew and the reeves of his outlying lands. '‘On most days the ser- vants of the house, with the hunts- men, swineherds and others sat at a third table beyond the fire. But as nothing could stop these from growing drunk on good liquor at a feast, and though many ladies thought little of it, there was no sin that Rosamund hated so much as this, now their iord sent them to eat and drink at their ease in.the barn, which stood in the ccurtyard with its back to the moat. ‘When all had taken their seats the chaplain said grace and the meal be- g#n. It was rude but very plentiful. First, borne in by the cook on a wooden platter, came a great codfish, whereof he helped portions to each in turn, lay- ing them on their “trenchers’—that is, large slices of bread—whence they ate them with the spoons that were given to each. After the fish appeared the meats, of which there were many sorts, served on silver spits. These included fowls, partridges, duck, and, schief of all, a great swan, that the tenants greeted by knocking their horn mugs upon the table, ‘after which came the pastries and with them the nuts and apples. " For drink ale was served at the lower table. On thig dals, however, they drank some of the black wine which Wulf had brought—thas is, except Sir Andrew and Rosamund, the former becaude he dared not and the latter because she had always hated any drink but water—a dislike that came to her; doubtless, with her Eastern blood. Thus they grew merry, for their guest proved film-all a cheerful fel- Jow, who told them many stories of Jove and war, for he seemed to know much of loves and to have been in sundry wars. At these even Sir An«< drew, forgetting his allments and forebodings,’ laughed, while Rosa- mund looked moré beautiful than ever in' the gold-starred veil and the broid- ered tunic which the brethren had given her, listened to them, smiling somewhat absently. At last the feast drew toward its end, when suddenly. as though struck by a sudden recol lection, Georglos exclaimed: *The wine! The liquid amber from Trooidos! I had forgotten it. Noble knight, hava I your leave to draw?” “Aye, excellent merchant” an- swered Sir Andrew. “Certainly you O earsion srase ahd. tmok So arose ok a jug and a silver tankard from.