He was willing to pay the price.
The General was not.
Carza was always a moment of frustration short of breaking away and raisingthe standard of holy war.
The General made a sign indicating that bel-Sidek should remain where he was.
When the newcomers had settled, he said, "Disturbing events in the Hahr twodays ago, khadifas." The strength of his voice surprised everyone. "Eighteensoldiers identified by citizens and executed by the Dartars."
Salom Edgit said, "The traitors will be rooted out and slaughtered."
"No. They will not. They were driven to it. When a man's supposed guardianbecomes more savage and rapacious than his avowed enemies, what is he to do? Ihave investigated, Salom. The people of the Hahr have been provoked beyondendurance. There will be no reprisals."
Edgit snapped, "We let a bunch of shopkeepers and artisans get away withbetraying us? The policy from the beginning has been ..."
"There will be no reprisals, Salom. None. The Living have heard what thosepeople were saying. There will be no more extortion. Those who fail to heedthis directive will be replaced. Am I clear?"
Edgit fumed. Twice he started to speak, thought better of it.
After a half minute of silence, during which bel-Sidek tortured himself tryingto understand how the old man could have probed events in the Hahr, theGeneral said, "Let us consider al-Akla's motives for doing what he did.
Eighteen soldiers taken and executed without questioning. The firstimplication is obvious. He wishes to place his men in a favorable light whilesparing the consciences of those who denounced them.
"But the Eagle flies high and far. His vision isn't that simple. His actioncould suggest that he had no need to question those men because he alreadyknew everything they could have told him. An unpleasant supposition butplausible considering the way things are run in the Hahr.
"Be still, Salom. This senile old man, who doesn't have the grace to die andleave you to the spoils, isn't finished."
Bel-Sidek watched carefully as Edgit fought the temper for which he was wellknown. Bel-Sidek wondered, and expected Salom was wondering, if the old manwasn't trying to provoke an outburst.
The General continued, "What message was Fa'tad sending us when he killed ourmen? What else is in his mind? The Eagle soars on the high wind, aboveeveryone and everything, but he is also like the sea. He has dark deeps, andmany secrets lie hidden within them. We don't know what surprises mightsurface from them."
No one said a word, though the General let silence expand till it became arushing cold wind pouring through the nighted and frightened hollows in everyheart.
"Carza. Have you surrendered? Have we lost Qushmarrah forever? Have we come tothe day of every man for himself?"
"No sir."
"Bel-Sidek?"
"I have a leg and two arms left. Sir."
"Zenobal?"
"There is no defeat, General."
"King?"
"I am among the living."
"Yes. As am I, to the despair of some. But I will not last much longer. I donot need to last. We are close to an event that will make this the year of Qushmarrah's delivery. We in the active organization need only buy time."
For the first time since the meet's commencement the General suffered a spasm that was too much for will to control. Bel-Sidek straightened, poised to help if summoned.
But it passed.
One day it would not.
"These are my commands. No member shall extort anything-whether monies, goods, or anything else-from any citizen of Qushmarrah. None of the Living shall participate in gangsterism or hooliganism in any form. Anyone guilty will discover that while the lion is old he has a tooth or two left. That is all for tonight. Tomorrow night we will meet again. The khadifa of the Hahr will join us." Salom Edgit concealed surprise ineffectually. Bel-Sidek watched his mouth twitch with words aching to be free, that dared not be spoken. The General had asserted his primacy successfully. For the moment.
As Edgit approached the door, the General said, "Salom, I'll want your answer tomorrow night." "Answer, sir?"
"To the question 'Is Salom Edgit a thief or a soldier?'"
The old man could barely discern movement as bel-Sidek shut the door. "How did I do, Khadifa?" "Superbly, sir. But I'm concerned about the physical price you paid. We'd better get you to bed."
The body wanted nothing more. But, "The work isn't finished. Bring writing materials."
Bel-Sidek did as he was instructed, started to settle to take dictation.
"No. I will do this myself. Put the things here before me."
Bel-Sidek obliged again, retreated to the far end of the room. He understood.
The old man inscribed his message with painstaking effort, making no mistakes. He amazed himself, what with his shaking hands and aching flesh. He sanded the ink, folded the paper, inscribed a solitary character on the outside.
"Now you can put me to bed. Then take that to Muma's hostelry. Give it to Muma himself. No one else. Insist. Then go spend the night with your widowed friend." He did not have to caution bel-Sidek against prying. The khadifa would deliver the message unopened. "Should we risk having you stay here alone after so much exertion?"
"We'll risk it, Khadifa. And I won't be alone long."
That was as much as bel-Sidek needed to know.
Aaron sat there looking at Naszif, mind void of conversation. Across the roomReyha burbled in Laella's arms. Naszifs face was pallid and wooden. He hadgotten through the amenities by rote. Aaron doubted that he knew who hisguests were.
A part of Aaron insisted that Naszif deserved any misfortune Aram handed him.
Another part-the part that so loved Arif and Stafa-empathized. Zouki wasNaszifs only son. The only one he would ever have by Reyha. And under Herodianlaw he could not put her aside, nor could he take a second wife.
Under Herodian law, which would not have been in place had the Seven Towersheld a few more days.
"Thus do the Fates conspire to render justice," Aaron muttered. Naszifs eyesunglazed for a moment, but he just looked puzzled, like a man who had heard aninexplicable sound. Then he slipped away into silent torment.
Laella sped him a look of appeal. It said, Do something! Say something!
Say what? That he was glad it was Naszif who had the pain? Reyha was herfriend. He had brought her so she could do what she could do. More she had noright to ask.
For all Naszif was a traitor and a bootlicker, though, Aaron had to admit thathe cared for his wife and son. Strongly. And in that care, perhaps, the seedsof treason might have found root. Aaron recalled Naszifs growing distress asReyha's day had approached. Maybe he had convinced himself that the Herodianswould let him run to Reyha if he opened the tower before her time.
Men had done meaner things for reasons less exalted than love.
Aaron swallowed. His throat had gone dry. Through that aridity he forced,
"They found two children that were stolen. Last week. In the Hahr. Where GoatCreek runs out of that boggy ground they're always talking about filling butnever get around to doing anything about."
Naszif began to show signs of interest. Laella sped Aaron a look of gratitude.
He continued, "The kids were all right. Healthy. Well fed. Decently clothed.
They just didn't remember anything."
"Where did you hear that, Aaron? When?" Suddenly, Naszif was all attention.
"If there was news like that I think I would have heard."
"I heard it yesterday at work. From this old man they call Billygoat. He's acaulker. He lives across from where they found the kids."
Naszifs intensity disturbed Aaron. He had tossed the incident out as a crumbof hope, not because he felt it meant anything. Concerned though he was aboutArif, he had given the story no weight. In a city the size of Qushmarrahchildren would be stolen and a few would turn up again.