ing,thatsallithinkaboutifintherarchingifihavetofight,itasgoodadaytodieasanyother
”beypastorfutureinterestedonlyinthepresentifyoucanncentratealanyoullseethatthereislifeinthedesert,thattherearestarsintheheavens,andthattribesnfightbeanracelifeontnow”
tslater,ashetingreadytobeddoheboylookedforthestartheyfollowedeverynighthethoughtthatthehorizonedtoseestarsonthedesertitself
”itstheoasis,”saidthecaldriver
”noheboyasked
”becauseosleep”
theboya,allstarshadbeenthenightbefore,
s,stretchingacrosstheentiredesert
”an,whohadalsoawakenedearly
buttheboyehthesilenceofthedesert,andheentjusttolookatthetreeshestillhadalongids,andsodaythisingbearybutthisontthepartythecaldriverhadntionedandhesofthefuturealthoughthevisionof
thedatepaledaybejustary,rightnosignifiedshade,er,andarefugefroheelsgroansignaleddanger,andnosuldheraldaracle
theanylanguages,theboythought
thetisrushpast,andsodotheist,ashechedthehundredsofpeopleandanilsarrivingattheoasispeopleingattheneobscuredthedesertsun,andthechildrenoftheoasisentatthearrivalofthestrangersthealchestsaatlength
butnoneofthattteredtothealchesthehadalreadyseennypeopleeandgo,andthedesertreinedasithedesertsandstheduneswerechangednstantlybytheesandshehadknoehehildhealhehappinessthatthetravelersexperiencederweeksofyellowsandandbluesky,theyfirstsasybegodan
uldappreciatethedatetrees,hethought
hedeorepracticalttershekneanto
heeofhissesohedidntknoanyet,
buthispracticedeyeeoneas
capableashispreviousapprentice
idontknoittedbyouth,hethoughtitexactly
thattheys;godrevealedhissecretseasilytoallhiscreatureshehadonlyoneexplanationforthisfaittedthisheyweredeupfrohepurelife,andthiskindoflifecannotbecapturedinpicturesorwordsbecausepeoplebeefascinatedhpicturesandtingthelanguageoftheworld
theboyuldntbelieveheheoasis,ratherthanbeingjustawellsurroundedbyafetreesashehadseenonanytokin
spainthereerableloredtentsspread
angthe
”itlookslikethethousandandonenights,”saidtheenglishn,iatienttoeththealchest
theyalsandpeoplethathe
noftheoasisenpetedhone
anotherforaerchantsthesilenceofthedesertthetravelersinthecaravanalkingincessantly,laughingandshouting,asiftheyhadergedfrohespiritualselvesonceagainintheworldofpeopletheywererelievedandhappy
theyhadbeentakingeldriverexplainedtotheboythatoasesajorityoftheinhabitantswere
enandchildrenthereenfoughtinthedesert,
leavingtheoasesasplacesofrefuge
ediffihis
instructionsthegroupainthereattheoasisuntilthenflictbethetribeswasoversincetheyors,theyosharelivingspacehthosehere,andwouldbegiventhebestacdationsthathelaalitythenheaskedthateveryone,inenappointedbythetribalchieftains
”thosearetherulesofaynotshelteraresortroops”totheboyssurprise,theenglishntookachroplatedrevolveroutofhisbagandgaveittothens
”whyarevolver”heasked
”ithelpedtotrustinpeople,”theenglishnansweredan,the
redifficultthingsbecaitseedasiftheoldkinghadcalled”beginnersluck”werenolongerfun,heantlysubjectedtotestsofhis
persistenpatientifhepushedforpulsively,heensleftbygodalonghispath
godplaypathhehadsurprisedhielfhthethoughtuntilthen,hehadnsideredtheonstobethingsofthisingorsleeping,orlikeseekingloveorfindingajobhehadneverthoughtofthenterofalanguageusedbygodtoindicateheshoulddo
”dontbeiatient,”herepeatedtohielf”itslikethecaldriversaid:eatetoeatandvealongetovealong”
thatfirstday,everyonesleptfroxhaustion,includingtheenglishntheboywasassignedaplacefarfroisfriend,inatentenofabouthi
