David's heart sank as he saw the danger. From the palace he had sent an
orderly with a command to an officer to move forward and secure the
position, but still the gap was open, and the men he had ordered to
advance remained where they were. Every minute had its crisis.
As Lacey and himself left the town the misery of the place smote him in
the eyes. Filth, refuse, debris filled the streets. Sick and dying men
called to him from dark doorways, children and women begged for bread,
carcasses lay unburied, vultures hovering above them--his tireless
efforts had not been sufficient to cope with the daily horrors of the
siege. But there was no sign of hostility to him. Voices called blessings
on him from dark doorways, lips blanching in death commended him to
Allah, and now and then a shrill call told of a fighter who had been laid
low, but who had a spirit still unbeaten. Old men and women stood over
their cooking-pots waiting for the moment of sunset; for it was Ramadan,
and the faithful fasted during the day--as though every day was not a
fast.
Pages:
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742