A Ride Across Palestine.docx

A Ride Across Palestine.docx

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ARideAcrossPalestine

ARideAcrossPalestinebyAnthonyTrollopeCircumstancestookmetotheHolyLandwithoutacompanion,andcompelledmetovisitBethany,theMountofOlives,andtheChurchoftheSepulchrealone.Iacknowledgemyselftobeagregariousanimal,or,perhaps,ratheroneofthosewhichnaturehasintendedtogoinpairs.AtanyrateIdislikesolitude,andespeciallytravellingsolitude,andwas,therefore,rathersadatheartasI

satonenightatZ-'shotel,inJerusalem,thinkingovermyproposedwanderingsforthenextfewdays.EarlyonthefollowingmorningI

intendedtostart,ofcourseonhorseback,fortheDeadSea,thebanksofJordan,Jericho,andthosemountainsofthewildernessthroughwhichitissupposedthatOurSaviourwanderedforthefortydayswhenthedeviltemptedhim.IwouldthenreturntotheHolyCity,andremainingonlylongenoughtorefreshmyhorseandwipethedustfrommyhandsandfeet,IwouldstartagainforJaffa,andtherecatchacertainAustriansteamerwhichwouldtakemetoEgypt.

Suchwasmyprogramme,andIconfessthatIwasbutillcontentedwithit,seeingthatIwastobealoneduringthetime.

Ihadalreadymadeallmyarrangements,andthoughIhadnoreasonforanydoubtastomypersonalsecurityduringthetrip,Ididnotfeelaltogethersatisfiedwiththem.IintendedtotakeaFrenchguide,ordragoman,whohadbeenwithmeforsomedays,andtoputmyselfunderthepeculiarguardianshipoftwoBedouinArabs,whoweretoaccompanymeaslongasIshouldremaineastofJerusalem.

ThistravellingthroughthedesertundertheprotectionofBedouinswas,inidea,pleasantenough;andImustheredeclarethatIdidnotatallbegrudgethefortyshillingswhichIwastoldbyourBritishconsulthatImustpaythemfortheirtrouble,inaccordancewiththeestablishedtariff.ButIdidbegrudgethefactofthetariff.IwouldratherhavefalleninwithmyfriendlyArabs,asitwerebychance,andhaverewardedtheirfidelityattheendofourjointjourneyingsbyadonationofpiastrestobesettledbymyself,andwhich,undersuchcircumstances,wouldcertainlyhavebeenasagreeabletothemasthestipulatedsum.InthesamewayIdislikehavingwaitersputdowninmybill.IfindthatIpaythemtwiceover,andthuslosemoney;andastheydonotexpecttobesotreated,Ineverhavetheadvantageoftheircivility.Theworld,I

fear,isbecomingtoofondoftariffs.

"Atariff!

"saidItotheconsul,feelingthatthewholeromanceofmyexpeditionwouldbedissipatedbysuchanarrangement."ThenI'llgoalone;I'lltakearevolverwithme."

"Youcan'tdoit,sir,"saidtheconsul,inadryandsomewhatangrytone."Youhavenomorerighttoridethroughthatcountrywithoutpayingtheregularpriceforprotection,thanyouhavetostopinZ-

'shotelwithoutsettlingthebill."

Icouldnotcontestthepoint,soIorderedmyBedouinsfortheappointedday,exactlyasIwouldsendforaticket-porterathome,anddeterminedtomakethebestofit.Thewildunlimitedsands,thedesolationoftheDeadSea,therushingwatersofJordan,theoutlinesofthemountainsofMoab;--thosethingstheconsulartariffcouldnotalter,nordeprivethemofthegloriesoftheirassociation.

Ihadsubmitted,andthearrangementshadbeenmade.Joseph,mydragoman,wastocometomewiththehorsesandanArabgroomatfiveinthemorning,andweweretoencounterourBedouinsoutsidethegateofSt.Stephen,downthehill,wheretheroadturns,closetothetomboftheVirgin.

Iwassittingaloneinthepublicroomatthehotel,fillingmyflaskwithbrandy,--formattersofprimaryimportanceIneverleavetoservant,dragoman,orguide,--whenthewaiterentered,andsaidthatagentlemanwishedtospeakwithme.Thegentlemanhadnotsentinhiscardorname;butanygentlemanwaswelcometomeinmysolitude,andIrequestedthatthegentlemanmightenter.Inappearancethegentlemancertainlywasagentleman,forIthoughtthatIhadneverbeforeseenayoungmanwhoselooksweremoreinhisfavour,orwhosefaceandgaitandoutwardbearingseemedtobetokenbetterbreeding.Hemightbesometwentyortwenty-oneyearsofage,wasslightandwellmade,withveryblackhair,whichheworeratherlong,verydarklongbrighteyes,astraightnose,andteeththatwereperfectlywhite.Hewasdressedthroughoutingreytweedclothing,havingcoat,waistcoat,andtrousersofthesame;andinhishandhecarriedaverybroad-brimmedstrawhat.

"Mr.Jones,Ibelieve,"hesaid,ashebowedtome.Jonesisagoodtravellingname,and,ifthereaderwillallowme,IwillcallmyselfJonesonthepresentoccasion.

"Yes,"Isaid,pausingwiththebrandy-bottleinonehand,andtheflaskintheother."That'smyname;I'mJones.CanIdoanythingforyou,sir?

"

"Why,yes,youcan,"saidhe."MynameisSmith,--JohnSmith."

"Praysitdown,Mr.Smith,"Isaid,pointingtoachair."Willyoudoanythinginthisway?

"andIproposedtohandthebottletohim.

"AsfarasIcanjudgefromashortstay,youwon'tfindmuchlikethatinJerusalem."

HedeclinedtheCognac,however,andimmediatelybeganhisstory.

"Ihear,Mr.Jones,"saidhe,"thatyouaregoingtoMoabto-

morrow."

"Well,"Ireplied,"Idon'tknowwhetherIshallcrossthewater.

It'snotveryeasy,Itakeit,atalltimes;butIshallcertainlygetasfarasJordan.CanIdoanythingforyouinthoseparts?

"

Andthenheexplainedtomewhatwastheobjectofhisvisit.HewasquitealoneinJerusalem,asIwasmyself;andwasstayingatH-

'shotel.HehadheardthatIwasstartingfortheDeadSea,andhadcalledtoaskifIobjectedtohisjoiningme.Hehadfoundhimself,hesaid,verylonely;andashehadheardthatIalsowasalone,hehadventuredtocallandmakehisproposition.Heseemedtobeverybashful,andhalfashamedofwhathewasdoing;andwhenhehaddonespeakinghedeclaredhimselfconsciousthathewasintruding,andexpressedahopethatIwouldnothesitatetosaysoifhissuggestionwerefromanycausedisagreeabletome.

AsaruleIamrathershyofchancetravellingEnglishfriends.IthassofrequentlyhappenedtomethatIhavehadtoblushfortheacquaintanceswhomIhaveselected,thatIseldomindulgeinanycloseintimaciesofthiskind.But,nevertheless,IwastakenwithJohnSmith,inspiteofhisname.Therewassomuchabouthimthatwaspleasant,bothtotheeyeandtotheunderstanding!

Onemeetsconstantlywithmenfromcontactwithwhomonerevoltswithoutknowingthecauseofsuchdislike.Thecutoftheirbeardisdispleasing,orthemodeinwhichtheywalkorspeak.But,ontheotherhand,therearemenwhoareattractive,andImustconfessthatIwasattractedbyJohnSmithatfirstsight.Ihesitated,however,foraminute;fortherearesundrythingsofwhichitbehovesatravellertothinkbeforehecanjoinacompanionforsuchajourneyasthatwhichIwasabouttomake.Couldtheyoungmanriseearly,andremaininthesaddlefortenhourstogether?

Couldheliveuponhard-boiledeggsandbrandy-and-water?

Couldhetakehischanceofatentunderwhichtosleep,andmakehimselfhappywiththebarefactofbeinginthedesert?

Hesawmyhesitation,andattributedittoacausewhichwasnotpresentinmymindatthemoment,thoughthesubjectwasoneofthegreatestimportancewhenstrangersconsenttojointhemselvestogetherforatime,andagreetobecomenostrangersonthespurofthemoment.

"OfcourseIwilltakehalftheexpense,"saidhe,absolutelyblushingashementionedthematter.

"Astothattherewillbeverylittle.Youhaveyourownhorse,ofcourse?

"

"Oh,yes."

"Mydragomanandgroom-boywilldoforboth.Butyou'llhavetopayfortyshillingstotheArabs!

There'snogettingoverthat.Theconsulwon'tevenlookafteryourdeadbody,ifyougetmurdered,withoutgoingthroughthatceremony."

Mr.Smithimmediatelyproducedhispurse,whichhetenderedtome.

"Ifyouwillmanageitall,"saidhe,"itwillmakeitsomuchtheeasier,andIshallbeinfinitelyobligedtoyou."ThisofcourseI

declinedtodo.Ihadnobusinesswithhispurse,andexplainedtohimthatifwewenttogetherwecouldsettlethatonourreturntoJerusalem."Butcouldhegothroughreallyhardwork?

"Iasked.Heansweredmewithanassurancethathewouldandcoulddoanythinginthatwaythatitwaspossibleformantoperform.Asforeatinganddrinkinghecarednothingaboutit,andwouldundertaketobeastiratanyhourofthemorningthatmightbenamed.Asforsleepingaccommodation,hedidnotcareifhekepthisclothesonforaweektogether.Helookedslightandweak;buthespokesowell,andthatwithoutboasting,thatIultimatelyagreedtohisproposal,andinafewminuteshetookhisleaveofme,promisingtobeatZ-'sdoorwithhishorseatfiveo'clockonthefollowingmorning.

"Iwishyou'dallowmetoleavemypursewithyou,"hesaidagain.

"Icannotthinkofit.Thereisnopossibleoccasionforit,"I

saidagain."Ifthereisanythingtopay,I'llaskyouforitwhenthejourneyisover.Thatfortyshillingsyoumustforkout.It'salawoftheMedesandPersians."

"I'dbettergiveityouatonce,"hesaidagain,offeringmemoney.

ButIwouldnothaveit.ItwouldbequitetimeenoughforthatwhentheArabswereleavingus.

"Because,"headded,"strangers,Iknow,aresometimessuspiciousaboutmoney;andIwouldnot,forworlds,haveyouthinkthatI

wouldputyoutoexpense."IassuredhimthatIdidnotthinkso,andthenthesubjectwasdropped.

Hewas,atanyrate,uptohistime,forwhenIcamedownonthefollowingmorningIfoundhiminthenarrowstreet,thefirstonhorseback.Joseph,theFrenchman,wasstrappingontoaroughponyourbelongings,andwasstaringatMr.Smith.