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‘AS thou didst feed Elijah,* so also hast thou fed me, God of my fathers!’ And Alroy arose, and he took his turban and unfolded it, and knelt and prayed. And then he ate of the dates, and drank of the fountain, and, full of confidence in the God of Israel, the descendant of David pursued his flight. |
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He now commenced the ascent of the mountainous chain, a wearisome and painful toil. Two hours past noon he reached the summit of the first ridge, and looked over a wild and chaotic waste full of precipices and ravines, and dark unfathomable gorges. The surrounding hills were ploughed in all directions by the courses of dried-up cataracts, and here and there a few savage goats browsed on an occasional patch of lean and sour pasture. This waste extended for many miles; the distance formed by a more elevated range of mountains, and beyond these, high in the blue sky, rose the loftiest peaks of Elburz,8 shining with sharp glaciers of eternal snow. |
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It was apparent that Alroy was no stranger in the scene of his flight. He had never hesitated as to his course, and now, after having rested for a short time on the summit, he descended towards the left by a natural but intricate path, until his progress was arrested by a black ravine. Scarcely half a dozen yards divided him from the opposite precipice by which it was formed, but the gulf beneath, no one could shoot a glance at its invisible termination without drawing back with a cold shudder. |
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The Prince knelt down and examined the surrounding ground with
great care. At length he raised a small square stone which covered
a metallic plate, and, taking from his vest a carnelian talisman
covered with strange characters, he knocked thrice upon the plate
with the signet. A low solemn murmur sounded around. Presently the
plate flew off, and Alroy pulled forth several yards of an iron
chain, which he threw over to the opposite precipice. The chain
fasted without difficulty to the rock, and was evidently constrained
by some magnetic influence. The Prince, seizing the chain with both
his hands, now swung across the ravine. As he landed, the chain
parted from the rock, swiftly disappeared down the opposite aperture,
and its covering closed with the same low, solemn murmur as before. |
