_Solitudinem faciunt pacem appellant!_
When Caleb reached Tyre, by the last light of the setting sun he saw a
white-sailed galley beating her way out to sea. Entering the city, he
inquired who went in the galley and was told Gallus, a Roman captain, in
charge of a number of sick and wounded men, many of the treasures of the
Temple, and a beautiful girl, who was said to be the grand-daughter of
Benoni of that town.
Then knowing that he was too late, Caleb groaned in bitterness of
spirit. Presently, however, he took thought. Now, Caleb was wise in his
generation, for at the beginning of this long war he had sold all his
land and houses for gold and jewels, which, to a very great value, he
had left hidden in Tyre in the house of a man he trusted, an old servant
of his father's. To this store he had added from time to time out of
the proceeds of plunder, of trading, and of the ransom of a rich Roman
knight who was his captive, so that now his wealth was great. Going
to the man's house, Caleb claimed and packed this treasure in bales of
Syrian carpets to resemble merchandise.
Then the peasant who had travelled into Tyre upon business about a mule,
was seen no more, but in place of him appeared Demetrius, the Egyptian
merchant, who bought largely, though always at night, of the merchandise
of Tyre, and sailed with it by the first ship to Alexandria.
Pages:
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391