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Part 2 Chapter 1 A Messenger From Cipango

Word Count: 3312    |    Released on: 18/11/2017

fteenth day of May, fourteen hundred and forty-eight--a man entered one of the stalls of a market in

andish. In this instance the owner of the stall indulged a positive stare. He had seen, he thought, representatives of all known nationalities, but never one like the present visitor--never one so pinkish in complexion, and so very bias-eyed--never one who wrapped and re-wrapped himself in a single shawl so entirely, making it answer all the other vestments habitual

d the letter, and began reading it. His neighbors less considerate ran together, and formed a crowd around the stran

m the more. The delicacy of its texture, its softness to the touch, its semi-transpare

ntrollable, and the missive being of but one sheet, his eyes dropped to the place of signature. There was no na

shment, half awe. Retreating to a bench near by, he seated himself, and presently became unmindful of th

rson who was not more than an ordinary dealer in an Eastern market may by this time have becom

ER-SEA. FAR EAST.

Son of

thee and

ed them, for they were a virtuous and goodly race, studious to do the will of the Lord God of Israel, and acknowledging no other; therein manifesting the chiefest of human excellences. To which, as more directly personal to thyself, I will add that qualities of men, like qualities in plants, are transmissible, and go they unmixed through many generations, they make a kind. Therefore, at this great distance, and though I have never looked in

s, and live simply and affectionately. Though they never heard of the Nazarene whom the world persists in calling the Christ, it is truth to say they better illustrate his teachings, especially in their dealings with each other, than the so-called Christians amongst whom thy lot is cast. Withal, however, I have become weary, the f

exactly one year from this 15 May, the time I have given him to make the journey, which is more by sea than land. Thou mayst then know I am following him, though with stoppages of uncertain duration; it

ce is with a design of which I think

is it to think my own door will open instantly at my knock. In this affair thou canst be of service which shall be both remembered and gratefully recompensed. He hath no experience in the matter of property in thy city; thou hast; it is but natural, therefore, if I pray thou bring it into pract

for my sake. Be advised also that he is deaf and dumb; yet, if in speaking thou turn thy face to him,

f procuring all the money he may require, even to extravagance; at the same time he is forbidden to contr

wherefore I conclude this writing by saying I hope thou wilt render him aid as indicated, and that when I

Jahdai, to thee a

ea

hands fall heavily in his lap, while he plunged into a study

om an Island he had never heard named. An Island in the Over-Sea which doubtless washed the Eastern end

neral, and of such addition and multiplication through the ages that he himself could not have made a list of them; in fact, now his attention was aroused, he recalled them a mass of colorless and formless objects which had ceased to have history or value. Amongst them, however, a seal in the form of a medallion in gold r

med the tale to be true; they had known the unfortunate personally; yet more, they declared he had been an intimate of the family, and had done its members through generations friendlinesses without number; in consequence they had come to consider him one of

d the tale, and still more might have been counted s

senger might be, or presuming him a villain, whatever the lie he thought to make profitable, appeal could be safely and cheaply mad

aw, and he did not wait. Signing the messenger to follow, he passed into a

e," he said, "and w

at; thereupon Uel drew his turban down to h

at his heels. Now he was before the cupboard! Little mercy the phylacteries and amulets, the bridle-spanglery of donkeys, the trinketry of women, his ancestresses once famous for beauty or many children-- little m

sacred souvenir. Conscience stung him. Over and over he shifted and turned the various properties on the shelf, the last time systematically and with fixed attention. When he st

ng, was about thirteen years old. Under the necessity thus imposed, he found a venerable daughter of Jerusalem to serve him as housekeeper, and charge herself with care of the c

never required to assure him of her love. And the little one was bright and affectionate, and had prettinesses in speech, and sang low and contentedly the day long. Often as he took her

had given it to her as a plaything. Untied at last--for his impatience was nigh uncontrollable--he hurried with the recovered treasure to a window, to look at the device raised upon it; then, his heart beating ra

ower by a word, not merely to change the most fixed of the decrees of nature, but, by suspending it entirely, hold an offending wretch alive for a period already encroaching upon the eternal? One less firmly rooted in the faith of his fathers would have stood aghast at the conclusion to which the answer as an argument led--a conclusi

merely to aid an inexperienced servant in the purchase of a dwelling-house, the servant having plenty of funds. True, when the master presented himself in person, it would be necessary to determine exactly the footing to be accorded

h that was unaccountable, breaking the even tenor of his tradesman's life by unwonted perplexities. He had not the will to control his thoughts; they would go back to the excitement of the moment when he believed the medallion lost; and as points run together in the ha

n the quarters of the Greeks, which were always clean, and those of the Jews, which were always filthy. It was also observed that neither the hill nor the church obstructed the western view from the roof; that is to say, it was so far around the upper curve of the hill that a thistle-down would be carried by a south-east wind over many of the proudest Greek residences and dropped by the Church of

promptly for everything he bought; in the next place, communication with him was astonishingly easy. His eyes made up for the deficiency in

rgotten that the house, completely furnished, is awaiting him

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Contents

Part 1 Chapter 1 The Nameless Bay Part 1 Chapter 2 The Midnight Landing Part 1 Chapter 3 The Hidden Treasure Part 2 Chapter 1 A Messenger From Cipango Part 2 Chapter 2 The Pilgrim At El Katif Part 2 Chapter 3 The Yellow Air Part 2 Chapter 4 El Zaribah Part 2 Chapter 5 The Passing Of The Caravans Part 2 Chapter 6 The Prince And The Emir Part 2 Chapter 7 At The Kaaba Part 2 Chapter 8 The Arrival In Constantinople
Part 2 Chapter 9 The Prince At Home
Part 2 Chatper 10 The Rose Of Spring
Part 3 Chapter 1 Morning On The Bosphorus
Part 3 Chapter 2 The Princess Irene
Part 3 Chapter 3 The Homeric Palace
Part 3 Chapter 4 The Russian Monk
Part 3 Chapter 5 A Voice From The Cloister
Part 3 Chapter 6 What Do The Stars Say
Part 3 Chapter 7 The Prince Of India Meets Constantine
Part 3 Chapter 8 Racing With A Storm
Part 3 Chapter 9 In The White Castle
Part 3 Chapter 10 The Arabian Story-Teller
Part 3 Chapter 11 The Turquoise Ring
Part 3 Chapter 12 The Ring Returns
Part 3 Chapter 13 Mahommed Hears From The Stars
Part 3 Chapter 14 Dreams And Visions
Part 3 Chapter 15 Departure From The White Castle
Part 3 Chapter 16 An Embassy To The Princess Irene
Part 3 Chapter 17 The Emperor's Wooing
Part 3 Chapter 18 The Singing Sheik
Part 3 Chapter 19 Two Turkish Tales
Part 3 Chapter 20 Mahommed Dreams
Part 4 Chapter 1 The Palace Of Blacherne
Part 4 Chapter 2 The Audience
Part 4 Chapter 3 The New Faith Proclaimed
Part 4 Chapter 4 The Pannychides
Part 4 Chapter 5 A Plague Of Crime
Part 4 Chapter 6 A Byzantine Gentleman Of The Period
Part 4 Chapter 7 A Byzantine Heretic
Part 4 Chapter 8 The Academy Of Epicurus
Part 4 Chapter 9 A Fisherman's Fete
Part 4 Chapter 10 The Hamari
Part 4 Chapter 11 The Princess Hears From The World
Part 4 Chapter 12 Lael Tells Of Her Two Fathers
Part 4 Chapter 13 The Hamari Turns Boatman
Part 4 Chapter 14 The Princess Has A Creed
Part 4 Chapter 15 The Prince Of India Preaches God To The Gre
Part 4 Chapter 16 How The New Faith Was Received
Part 4 Chapter 17 Lael And The Sword Of Solomon
Part 4 Chapter 18 The Festival Of Flowers
Part 4 Chapter 19 The Prince Builds Castles For His Gul Bahar
Part 4 Chapter 20 The Silhouette Of A Crime
Part 4 Chapter 21 Sergius Learns A New Lesson
Part 4 Chapter 22 The Prince Of India Seeks Mahommed
Part 4 Chapter 23 Sergius And Nilo Take Up The Hunt
Part 4 Chapter 24 The Imperial Cistern Gives Up Its Secret
Part 5 Chapter 1 A Cold Wind From Adrianople
Part 5 Chapter 2 A Fire From The Hegumen's Tomb
Part 5 Chapter 3 Mirza Does An Errand For Mahommed
Part 5 Chapter 4 The Emir In Italy
Part 5 Chapter 5 The Princess Irene In Town
Part 5 Chapter 6 Count Corti In Sancta Sophia
Part 5 Chapter 7 Count Corti To Mahommed
Part 5 Chapter 8 Our Lord's Creed
Part 5 Chpater 9 Count Corti To Mahommed
Part 5 Chapter 10 Sergius To The Lion
Part 6 Chapter 1 The Sword Of Solomon
Part 6 Chapter 2 Mahommed And Count Corti Make A Wager
Part 6 Chapter 3 The Bloody Harvest
Part 6 Chapter 4 Europe Answers The Cry For Help
Part 6 Chpater 5 Count Corti Receives A Favor
Part 6 Chpater 6 Mahommed At The Gate St. Romain
Part 6 Chapter 7 The Great Gun Speaks
Part 6 Chapter 8 Mahommed Tries His Guns Again
Part 6 Chapter 9 The Madonna To The Rescue
Part 6 Chapter 10 The Night Before The Assault
Part 6 Chapter 11 Count Corti In Dilemma
Part 6 Chapter 12 The Assault
Part 6 Chapter 13 Mahommed In Sancta Sophia
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