Tales of the Caliph | Page 7

and it fell upon the floor.
Groping about to find it, his hand came suddenly upon something
which felt soft and cool--an object apparently about the size and shape
of a hen's egg, yet not hard like an egg-shell, but elastic and yielding
readily to the pressure of the fingers. What it was the sense of touch did
not enable him to guess, and as yet the light was insufficient to permit
him to distinguish anything clearly. And, marvellous to relate, as the
light increased, although all the objects around him became visible, yet
this something which he had felt, and which he still felt to be grasped
in his hand, was nevertheless not to be seen. This circumstance
surprised the Caliph very much, and he sat cross-legged on the straw
which had been placed in the corner of the dungeon for him to sleep on,
just as he had been used to do on the splendid divan in his palace, still
grasping the unknown object in his hand, and yet still unable to see
what it was. After he had sat thus for some time cogitating what this
might mean, the hour came round when the jailer should come and
bring him his food for the day.
Now it so happened that the Caliph's jailer when bringing his food had
to pass the dungeon in which Selim had been confined. This morning
as he passed he was amazed to observe that the door was unfastened,
and, looking in, he perceived that the vault was empty. Fearful that his
prisoner might likewise have effected his escape, he hurriedly set down
the food and ran on to the dungeon containing the Caliph.
The latter was surprised to hear his jailer running rapidly along the
passage, and still more surprised when the man, after looking through
the panel, withdrew the huge bolts and, opening the door, came into the
great gloomy vault, looking excitedly about him. Then after a few
moments, apparently bewildered and terror-struck, he turned about,
went out, closed the door behind him, and, without waiting to replace
the bolts, walked quickly along the passage and disappeared.
The Caliph, although unable to guess to what he owed his good fortune,
did not neglect to avail himself of it. Pushing open the door, and
stopping to close it and bolt it behind him, he walked down the corridor

without knowing where and to what it might lead him. This passage or
corridor seemed at first sight to terminate with a dead wall at the end of
it. But, proceeding further along it, he presently perceived a
side-passage turning out of it at right angles, and this smaller passage,
which was short, terminated in a flight of steps leading evidently into
the castle-yard. The door at the top of the steps was partly open, and
when he reached it the Caliph could hear and catch glimpses of a group
of soldiers standing and chatting together not far from the doorway. He
stood for some moments uncertain what he should do. If he opened the
door and went out, doubtless he would immediately be seized; on the
other hand, to stay where he was meant no less certain destruction, as at
any moment some one might enter and find him there. He had just
determined to step out boldly and risk detection, in the hope that in the
bustle of the castle-yard his exit might pass unnoticed, when a gust of
wind blew the door wide open, and he stood face to face, not ten paces
distant, with that group of soldiers he had heard conversing.
For a moment he stood horror-struck, expecting to see them rush
forward and secure him. To his extreme surprise, none of them, not
even those facing him, took the slightest notice of his presence. They
appeared not even to see him, but perhaps they took him for one of the
innumerable retainers of the Court; at any rate, the Caliph, plucking up
courage, stepped out and walked quietly away.
As he was crossing the courtyard, a great mounted warrior on a
powerful black steed came pounding along, and would apparently have
ridden right over the Caliph just as though he was unaware of his
existence, but Haroun drew quickly aside, and the horse shied, thereby
drawing upon itself many hard blows from the fierce and haughty rider.
Passing out of the castle-gates, and turning eastward, as he judged, by
the position of the sun, the Caliph proceeded in the direction which
would enable him, he hoped, in due time, to reach his own country. He
had not gone far when he met a rough country fellow who carried a
long piece of wood on his shoulder, and Haroun would have been
struck full in the face with it