This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of thefile for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before making anentire meal of them. D.W.]
By Georg Ebers
Paula's report of the day's proceedings, of Orion's behavior, and ofthe results of the trial angered the leech beyond measure; he vehementlyapproved the girl's determination to quit this cave of robbers, thishouse of wickedness, of treachery, of imbecile judges and falsewitnesses, as soon as possible. But she had no opportunity for a quietconversation with him, for Philippus soon had his hands full in the careof the sufferers.
Rustem, the Masdakite, who till now had been lying unconscious, had beenroused from his lethargy by some change of treatment, and loudly calledfor his master Haschim. When the Arab did not appear, and it wasexplained to him that he could not hope to see him before the morning,the young giant sat up among his pillows, propping himself on his armsset firmly against the couch behind him, looked about him with awandering gaze, and shook his big head like an aggrieved lion—but thathis thick mane of hair had been cut off—abusing the physician all thetime in his native tongue, and in a deep, rolling, bass voice that rangthrough the rooms though no one understood a word. Philippus, quiteundaunted, was trying to adjust the bandage over his wound, when Rustemsuddenly flung his arms round his body and tried with all his might, andwith foaming lips, to drag him down. He clung to his antagonist, roaringlike a wild beast; even now Philippus never for an instant lost hispresence of mind but desired the nun to fetch two strong slaves. TheSister hurried away, and Paula remained the eyewitness of a fearfulstruggle. The physician had twisted his ancles round those of thestalwart Persian, and putting forth a degree of strength which couldhardly have been looked for in a stooping student, tall and large-bonedas he was, he wrenched the Persian's hands from his hips, pressed hisfingers between those of Rustem, forced him back on to his pillows, sethis knees against the brazen frame of the couch, and so effectually heldhim down that he could not sit up again. Rustem exerted every muscle toshake off his opponent; but the leech was the stronger, for the Masdakitewas weakened by fever and loss of blood. Paula watched this contestbetween intelligent force and the animal strength of a raving giant witha beating heart, trembling in every limb. She could not help her friend,but she followed his every movement as she stood at the head of the bed;and as he held down the powerful creature before whom her frail uncle hadcowered in abject terror, she could not help admiring his manly beauty;for his eyes sparkled with unwonted fire, and the mean chin seemed tolengthen with the frightful effort he was putting forth, and so to bebrought into proportion with his wide forehead and the rest of hisfeatures. Her spirit quaked for him; she fancied she could see somethinggreat and heroic in the man, in whom she had hitherto discovered no meritbut his superior intellect.
The struggle had lasted some minutes before Philip felt the man's armsgrow limp, and he called to Paula to bring him a sheet—a rope—what not—to bind the raving man. She flew into the next room, quite collected;fetched her handkerchief, snatched off the silken girdle that bound herwaist, rushed back and helped the leech to tie the maniac's hands. Sheunderstood her friend's least word, or a movement of his fing