"A. E. Merritt - Dwellers in the mirage" - читать интересную книгу автора (Merritt A. E)

CHAPTER III.



RITUAL OF KHALK'RU


The stallion settled down to a steady, swinging lope. He carried my
weight easily. About an hour from dusk we were over the edge of the
desert. At our right loomed a low range of red sandstone hills Close
ahead was a defile. We rode into it, and picked our way through it. In
about half an hour we emerged into a boulder-strewn region, upon what
had once been a wide road. The road stretched straight ahead of us to
the north-east, toward another and higher range of red sandstone,
perhaps five miles away. This we reached just as night began, and here
my guide halted, saying that we would encamp until dawn. Some twenty of
the troop dismounted; the rest rode on.

Those who remained waited, looking at me, plainly expectant. I wondered
what I was supposed to do; then, noticing that the stallion had been
sweating, I called for something to rub him down, and for food and
water for him. This, apparently, was what had been looked for. The
captain himself brought me the cloths, grain and water while the men
whispered. After the horse was cooled down, I fed him. I then asked for
blankets to put on him, for the nights were cold. When I had finished I
found that supper had been prepared. I sat beside a fire with the
leader. I was hungry, and, as usual when it was possible, I ate
voraciously. I asked few questions, and most of these were answered so
evasively, with such obvious reluctance, that I soon asked none. When
the supper was over, I was sleepy. I said so. I was given blankets, and
walked over to the stallion. I spread my blankets beside him, dropped,
and rolled myself up.

The stallion bent his head, nosed me gently, blew a long breath down my
neck, and lay down carefully beside me. I shifted so that I could rest
my head on his neck. I heard excited whispering among the Uighurs. I
went to sleep.

At dawn I was awakened. Breakfast was ready. We set out again on the
ancient road. It ran along the hills, skirting the bed of what had long
ago been a large river. For some time the eastern hills protected us
from the sun. When it began to strike directly down upon us, we rested
under the shadow of some immense rocks. By mid-aftemoon we were once
more on our way. Shortly before sun-down, we crossed the dry river bed
over what had once been a massive bridge. We passed into another defile
through which the long-gone stream had flowed, and just at dusk reached