The Texas Republican

MISCELLANEOUS.

From Chambers' Journal.

THE MAN OF TWO SHADOWS

Strange and fantastical superstitions are confined to no part of the world: they flourish within the tropics, they live themselves in the arctic and antarctic circles; and they are perfectly familiar to all the inhabitants of the temperate Zone. However they have a favorite residence. It is especially in Africa where from the moment they have reigned paramount over all classes in the population. In other parts of the world, especially where men affect to be civilized, they who have enjoyed the education laugh when they meet together at everything denominated superstition; but when they lay aside their artificial existence become idiots again walk home along tree-arched lanes, traverse midnight churchyards, and retire to bed alone by the dim rush light, in a room high up in some ancient building rocked and shaken by the gusting winds. They often glide back to times of infancy and shiver as they pull the sheets over their faces.

This I say by way of apology for the two unsophisticated Mediterraneans who figure in the adventure described by the following narrative. They belong to a tribe of Arabs who encamped many years ago on the bank of the Upper Nile. The country in the whole neighborhood is almost beyond imagination wild. Rocks, naked, splintered and perpendicular rise on one side of the river to a vast height, and are perforated here and there by gorges, passes and tortuous that in some places the sun's rays were, during the whole day, illuminate their depths. On the stream's other bank, giant sand hills in immense masses roll away interminably. Close to the water's edge stands a ship of the desert, the Egyptian camel. The left bank presents a landscape the stream fringed by a sandy beach the proportions are the mountain the desert bank the type and a huge arch like a cape of basaltic rock.

Shades have some in the city to be aiding yourself but against this world.

Through a gap in the mountains, which permits the passage of the stream Nile appears much larger with its.

Behold a valley carpeted with sunlight, beautiful with a broad expanse of a river. King like the lake with pearly drops.

Transval the theodolite and undulating. In with copper.

Is famous home the dead ends.

Of the Sphinx Christian and an abundance of near bees that way shrubs a.

Overhead, the majestic date palm hanging its long tresses as a tall maiden that.

Rs her veil on the soft breeze. Here and there, casting small shadows. The gray cupolas of the tops of holy men.

See between the foliage wind th.

Which de stands revealed like a landscape.

A canvas, against a chain of rose color.

A mountain throwing up confusedly.

For rugged pinnacles hs into the blue.

The Arabs from the desert never cn.

Camp in the cultivated country. But on the sunny elige close to it. At the time I speak of. The tents were many, and.

Strung pitched in an immense semicircle.

Facing the east, and projecting its horns.

Other side to the very verge of the.

Phragmigroves. The chief of this camp.

Ment a man with a green turban, to.

Mark his descent from the Prophet-had.

A daughter named Selma (I wish the.

Arabs had more variety in their.

Names.) and among the youth of the.

Tribe was one who rejoiced in the name.

Of Ibn Saflar. It was the misfortune of.

This young man that he had no relatives.

How he found his way into the tribe,.

The chief only knew, if. Indeed, he did.

Yet Ibn Saflar was generally respected.

Because, as some believed, he was de.

Scended from the people of Jinn, or, as.

Others thought. Came far away from.

Persia. Where-in the mountains—espe-

Cially-there are people with blue eyes.

And hair of the color of gold. This.

Was Ibn Saffar's case : and instead of.

Shaving his head like the children of the.

Arabs, he suffered his long locks to es.

Cape from beneath a light embroidered.

Cap. And to descend in waving masses.

Over his shoulders. Abou Bernak. The.

Chief though friendly towards this young.

Man-who possessed neither sheep nor.

Camels, but went forth with his spear in.

The desert. Where he hunted lions and.

Hyenas, and often came back laden with.

Their skins to the camp-was still very.

Anxious that no intimacy should grow.

Up between him and his daughter Sel.

Ma. For this he had doubtless his own.

Reasons, but the girl had eyes, and.

Looked with admiration on the beauty of.

Ibn Saflar. It is true he was not gen.

Tle. His fierce eyes flashed habitually.

With the expression of cruelty : his.

Short upper lip curled with disdain ; and.

He appeared to be always eager to en-.

Ter into conflict. Yet, as often as he.

Came into the presence of the daughter.

Of Abou Bernak, all his fierceness for-.

Sook him, and he sat at her feet as gen-.

Tle as a gazelle. All his countenance.

Wore a serene aspect, and his eyes were.

Tinted like the light of the evening star.

He talked to her often of regions ly-.

Ing beyond the Bahr el Kolzum the Shat.

Ef Arab, where the mountains are clothed.

With trees. Where bright rivers rush.

Down impetuously from the rocks, and.

Where the believers in El Islam inhabit.

Magnificent cities like those which the.

Unbelievers of old times have left in ru-.

Ins on the banks of the Lower Nile.
Selma's imagination was inflamed by these accounts ; so that she often wished to take a fleet dromedary and journey towards the rising sun. Either alone or in company with Ibn Saflar. Whom she loved with a trembling love. Because he seemed to her a man of another race of other beliefs and other feelings. Who sympathized with nothing in the valley but her.

Often and often as they sat together. Ibn Saflar's face appeared to be transfigured, but whether by good or evil emotions. She could not tell. Some violent struggle appeared to be going on in his mind. Paleness accompanied by big drops of sweat, came over him : his eyelids drooped. And his whole figure appeared to be bent with premature old age. Then. The fit being over. His face flushed. His eyes grew doubly bright. And tears as of rapture stood in them. These appearances. However, were painful as they were mysterious to Selma: but she feared to question him respecting them. For there was a loftiness in his manner. And a tone of authority in his voice. Which entirely overawed her.

Once in the broad daylight. When the sun was full high in the zenith of an arch of wood. They walked together to the bank of the river. Why did Selma start ? Why did she seize Ibn Saflar's arm ? Why did she look so fearfully into his face why did her own become so deadly pale" why did her limbs tremble and almost refuse to support her weight?

There, high up on the bank, was the cave.

"Lesh at it ?" she exclaimed to Ibn Saflar : we are haunted by the place is haunted See. There are two shadows which appear to be like mine and yours moving high up there on the bank ?

They must proceed from individuals in invisible shape Mr hands Oh. Ibn Saflar explain to me this mystery. For you belong to the people of the Jinn, and the power of thought is nothing that is hidden from you "

For a moment the young man could to speak to reply ; but the expression of his countenance was terrible, and he appeared to be laboring to suppress some emotion too violent to be described.

Wh: he whispered to you. Selma.' he at length through with as much calmness as he could command, the.

I belong to the people of the Jinn.

"I know not" answered the maiden. But I have heard among things the tribe may that great repeating him and among others the suspicion that you are not one of the desert sons of.

Alum.

T tma" he said.sin Iot sn.

Core with his Abou Bernak.

N that which and calmly.

The pass in motion y g mind.

You want my father said.

She it, the spirit of the Arabs rising un.

But baste wrong my father The.

I ypat I dilmeny a hns mca.

Pall of everything has his blood.

P'r this in his words, and in toy.

Ibn she theme.

Lone shall set h mo ot atatheter like.

Flesh I a the chief ad my h ts : and.

It yaeh laats) i ttotion with Areets,.

Of the people I tho J mn explain b mo.

Why we are haunted and why purane.

Ds ad h1 er whk Cn.

Aeat her bad as an the slay bank".

Ji it (w w.

Iu n' yo].

Explain the most r aot the earth_.

Gd Ian cited bhum ba thr.

Shadow, bn I do ad s toyn Sol.

Ma, amt for tht ye tahe, or I.

Would suspect y n of being an Ir et.

A Jinn by at "I the place is haunted.

Let us met ht no more ; there are thet.

Walks as beautiful, and th male sth.

Nthe ilow to the north uid to th outh.

And we can come down to it any.

Where, and speak there. Atd be hap.

"Nay." answered Selma. I will not.

You tow here but bore atd you must tell.

Me why we are followed by shadows.

Other than our own."

"I cannot," answered Ibn Saflar.

"It must be so" observed Selma.

Moodily "I am disturbed by the thought.

That you belong to the people of the.

Jinn, and swear to you by the Prophet".

Ibn Saflar put his hand on her mouth.

"Do not swear, Selma. I conjure you!

I am not acquainted with the secrets of.

God."

Selma retreated a step or two, and.

Then said:

"I swear by the prophet I will never.

Be your wife until you explain to me the.

Mystery of the two shadows.

They then separated, Selma to her.

Father's tent, and Ibn Saffar to wander in.

The desert. They met no more for many.

Days, because Selma avoided her lover,.

Whom she began to regard with super.

Stitious dread. Meanwhile, he was.

Plunged in deep affliction. Because he.

Loved her. With unbounded love, and.

Would have sacrificed his life to render.

Her happy. He therefore took an instru-.

Ment of music and went at the fall of.

Night to the river's side, and, sitting.

Down among the rocks, sang to himself.

A melancholy song while his tears fell on.

The instrument as he touched its strings.

He compared his life to the mists which.

Hang upon the mountains of Kurdistan.

Which are touched and rendered beauti-.

Ful by the sun's first rays, but speedily.

Melt and disappear, and leave no trace.

Of their existence on the blue ether-to.

A fountain which springs up in a desert;.

And bubbles and sparkles for a while in.

The morning light, but is overwhelmed.

By the first sand-storm concealed from.

Mankind forever-to a shooting star.

Which emerges from the depths of the.

Sky, and describes a bright track through.

The heavens, but, just as it begins to.

Attract the gaze of men, is extinguished.

By the breath of Eblis, and forgotten by.

All beholders. The moon had risen as.

He sang. Presently he laid aside his in-.

Strument, smote his breast, and said.

Aloud :

"Woe is me-the light that had be-.

Gun to dawn upon my soul is changed.

Into darkness. The daughter of Abou.

Bernak is devoured by suspicions and.

Hath ceased to love me. Verily the.

Days of my exile are drawing towards.

A close and I shall return whence I.

Came, unloved and unblessed. What.

Then? It is written and I must be num-.

Bered among those who are unfortunate".

" Nay. Ibn Saffar." murmured a sweet.

Voice beside him : you accuse me un-.

Justly. God is my witness, I love you.

Like my own soul. But fears of the na-.

Ture of which I need not speak of, op-.

Press and overwhelm me.

The young man rose and bowed be-.

Fore her and said :

"This is the action of one whose na-.

Ture is benevolent. Let us walk to-.

Gether along the river.

"Yes she replied. Let us go to our own.

Place of meeting. It may be there will be.

Two shadows there tonight : the moon is.

At the full. And floods the whole earth.

With beauty."

They repaired to their favorite walk.

But Selma's eye, instead of resting, as it.

Was wont, on the face of her lover.

Sought the shrubs and the grass. And.

The sands. The fearful shadows which.

Were never absent from her mind. Did.

Her eyes deceive her? No! There they.

Were. Fainter. More indefinite and indis-.

Tinct but there they were moving as.

They moved, standing still when they.

Stopped: mimicking all their gestures.

Appearing to put on every moment.

A more threatening aspect: What was to.

Be done? Selma's soul was petrified.

With terror. Ah Ibn Saffar in the great-.

Est perplexity found to words in which.

To express his affliction and astonish-.

Ment.

"Verily." he said. "two individuals.

From among the Jinn are walking over.

Our heads treading invisibly the soft air.

But casting shadows nevertheless. Which.

Prove them to be solid substances, which.

The rays of neither sun nor moon can.

Pass through.

Selma made no reply, but gazing.

With strong apprehension at Ibn Saflar.

For a few moments, darted away towards.

The encampment. Leaving him in doubt.

Whether he should quit the valley for.

Ever or bury his sorrows in the mighty.

Nile before him. By degrees wiser.

Thoughts came into his mind. The pos-.

Sessed on his situation on the causes.

Which had brought him thither on Sel-.

Ma's character and his own. It has.

Been said by travelers. That there is a.

Mysterious influence in the Nile which, as.

You sit and listen to it enters your soul and.

Diffuses its own serenity over you.

While mind. There may in fact be a.

Supernatural power in that ancient and.

Half fabulous stream. It rises to ch.

Hh ws how tows through doom.

Without tantalizing him through a land.

Of its own creation without apparently.

Losing a particle its up and as it.

Threads with soil but untw.

The as, it appears to contain ge that.

After the primaeval legends of a whole.

Cities on its side.

Ibn Saflar gazed at it with feelings of.

The haunted. I believe in El Islam I.

Is one of the properties of the Nile to.

Act agreeably to the imaginations of.

Those who behold it that they confuse things.

The to s te tiabg like the superstition d.

The secret many makes Ibn Saffar.

Was young with a fervid fancy and.

Where ugly veritable passions ; wild projects thronged his brain he formed and.

Rejected many resolutions. And his.

Thoughts were last darting him towards.

A desperate and perhaps disastrous cn.

Terprise when he beheld a dervish ap-.

Proaching him from the south.

Verily Oh, dervish. Exclaimed the.

Young man "you come to deliver.

Me from a great perplexity. I will re-.

Late to you my adventures, and describe.

To you my case and the wisdom you.

Have acquired by walking to and fro.

Over the earth will enable you to dispel.

The doubts and suspicions of one who is.

Dear to me.

The dervish seated himself upon a stone.

And said.

"Oh, my son: I am attentive".

The lover then related all that had be-.

Fallen him among the tribes of the Arabs.

And the relation in which he stood to-.

Wards the daughter of Abou Bernak.

"Young man," observed the dervish,.

You have not laid before me the whole.

Truth.

"I have told you all that bears upon.

The present matter."

" You are mistaken It is of conse-.

Quence to know what happened in Pha-.

Bekir before you fled from your father's.

House : it is of still greater consequence.

To know what account you have given to.

Abou Bernak and his daughter ; it is of.

Yet greater moment to ascertain whether.

An attachment to the creed of the sufis.

Qualifies you to become the husband of a.

Sufi maiden."

Ibn Saflar stood abashed before the.

Dervish : his tongue clung to the roof of.

His mouth: his heart, which had never.

Yet quailed in the presence of man sank.

As he cast his eyes upon the earth, and.

He was sorely troubled.

" What I have said." observed the der-.

Vis. " was only designed to reprove you.

For your half-confidence. Had you been.

Frank. I also should have been frank. I.

Will be so now. Know. Then, that I too.

Am a Sufi ; but what I must do in this.

Matter must depend upon an interview.

Which I shall have this night with Abou.

Bernak."

Ibn Saffar turned his eyes fiercely up.

On the holy man. "Do you intend.

"If I interrupt you," observed the der-.

Vis mildly, " it is only to give you the.

Assurance that I will do what is best !-

Now lead the way to the encampment.

And, please God, we shall see what will.

Happen to-morrow."

Exactly an hour before noon on the.

Following day. Selma stood with Ibn Sat-.

Far and the dervish in the middle of the.

Favorite walk on the banks of the Nile.

She perceived that the number of shad-.

Ows multiplied.

" Take this clod." said the dervish. Ad-.

Dressing himself to Selma. " and cast it.

Into the river, exactly in the spot from.

Which the sun's image is reflected."

She did so. And large ripples arose.

And moved in circles on all sides. And.

The sun's disk disappeared on the mir-.

Ror of the waters.

" Now turn round, daughter." he said.

She turned and looked, and behold,.

Their own shadows fell beside them upon.

The pathway. But there was no others.

" Praise be to Allah !" exclaimed Ibn.

Saffar. "the people of the Jinn are put.

To flight."

" Bismillah." murmured Selma, " it is.

As you say. O. Beloved of my soul".

"Wait a while." observed the dervish.

They waited. The waters of the Nile.

Again became tranquil, and brilliant.

Along their surface as polished steel.

The glowing disk of the sun again be-.

Came glassed in the stream, and send-.

Ing up rays almost as bright as those.

Which streamed from the burning orb in.

The sky. Threw high upon the bank shad-.

Ows almost as opaque and definite as.

Those produced by the sun itself."

"You see ; daughter what has oc-.

Casioned your perplexity. You stand, as.

It were. Between two suns. One below.

Another above and their beams falling.

Upon you produce the phenomenon of the.

Double shadow."

" Blessed be God !" exclaimed Selma,.

" who has made such wonders and mar-.

Vels upon the earth : and bless you. My.

Father since your wisdom has removed.

An obstacle".

With the modesty of an Arab maiden she left the sentence unfinished. Ibn Saffar completed it.

"Yes. O dervish." he said. "you have indeed removed an obstacle to the union and happiness of two hearts. Which nothing on earth shall keep asunder. Selma is mine ; and with this broad sword." he added, drawing his scimitar. I will vindicate my right to her against the whole world"

"Be content." said the dervish. "Abou Bernak will not refuse her to you when he knows"

"But he shall give her to me. O der vis before he knows anything but I love her. And will have her. Though all the tribes of the Muslem sheikhs should say nay."

They returned to the camp, where Abou Bernak upon hearing all that happened. Consented without any explana tion. To bestow his daughter upon Ibn Saffar. Who then acknowledged he was a prince of the Persians. Who returned after a while to his own country, distinguished himself in battle, and under the name of Ahmed Shah. Founded the Persian empire.

In his harem, when, in the evening he sat down upon the carpet of repose with Selma he took the very instrument with which he had played among the rocks of the Upper Nile and laughed and joked about the people of the Jinn and the Man of Two Shadows"