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

I did not answer. Looking at him, I saw again--could only see--that
which I had seen in the cavern. He sighed.

"It is your will to leave us! So shall it be!"

The Uighur captain did not speak.

"We have brought your clothing, Dwayanu, thinking that you might wish
to go from us as you came," said the old priest.

I stripped and dressed in my old clothes. The old priest took my faded
finery. He lifted the octopus robe from the stallion. The captain spoke:

"Why do you leave us, Dwayanu? You have made our peace with Khalk'ru.
You have unlocked the gates. Soon the desert will blossom as of old.
Why will you not remain and lead us on our march to greatness?"

I shook my head. The old priest sighed again.

"It is his will! So shall it be! But remember, Dwayanu--he whose call
Khalk'ru has answered must answer when Khalk'ru calls him. And soon or
late--Khalk'ru will call him!"

He touched my hair with his trembling old hands, touched my heart, and
turned. A troop of spearsmen wheeled round him. They rode away.

The Uighur captain said:

"We wait to guard Dwayanu on his journey."

I mounted the stallion. We reached the expedition's new camp. It was
deserted. We rode on, toward the old camp. Late that afternoon we saw
ahead of us a caravan. As we came nearer they halted, made hasty
preparations for defence. It was the expedition--still on the march. I
waved my hands to them and shouted.

I dropped off the black stallion, and handed the reins to the Uighur.

"Take him," I said. His face lost its sombre sternness, brightened.

"He shall be ready for you when you return to us, Dwayanu. He or his
sons," he said. He touched my hand to his forehead, knelt. "So shall we
all be, Dwayanu--ready for you, we or our sons. When you return."

He mounted his horse. He faced me with his troop. They raised their
spears. There was one crashing shout--

"Dwayanu!"

They raced away.