eminent victorians-第42章

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Imam　be　still　waiting；　in　mystical　concealment；　ready　to　emerge；　

at　any　moment；　at　the　bidding　of　God？　There　were　signs　by　which　

the　true　Mahdi　might　be　recognised　unmistakable　signs；　if　one　

could　but　read　them　aright。　He　must　be　of　the　family　of　the　

prophet；　he　must　possess　miraculous　powers　of　no　common　kind；　and



his　person　must　be　overflowing　with　a　peculiar　sanctity。　The　

pious　dwellers　beside　those　distant　waters；　where　holy　men　by　

dint　of　a　constant　repetition　of　one　of　the　ninety…nine　names　of　

God；　secured　the　protection　of　guardian　angels；　and　where　groups　

of　devotees；　shaking　their　heads　with　a　violence　which　would　

unseat　the　reason　of　less　athletic　worshippers；　attained　to　an　

extraordinary　beatitude；　heard　with　awe　of　the　young　preacher　

whose　saintliness　was　almost　more　than　mortal　and　whose　miracles　

brought　amazement　to　the　mind。　Was　he　not　also　of　the　family　of　

the　prophet？　He　himself　had　said　so；　and　who　would　disbelieve　the



holy　man？　When　he　appeared　in　person；　every　doubt　was　swept　away。





There　was　a　strange　splendour　in　his　presence；　an　overpowering　

passion　in　the　torrent　of　his　speech。　Great　was　the　wickedness　of



the　people；　and　great　was　their　punishment！　Surely　their　miseries



were　a　visible　sign　of　the　wrath　of　the　Lord。　They　had　sinned；　

and　the　cruel　tax　gatherers　had　come　among　them；　and　the　corrupt　

governors；　and　all　the　oppressions　of　the　Egyptians。　Yet　these　

things；　'Too；　should　have　an　end。　The　Lord　would　raise　up　his　

chosen　deliverer；　the　hearts　of　the　people　would　be　purified；　and



their　enemies　would　be　laid　low。　The　accursed　Egyptian　would　be　

driven　from　the　land。　Let　the　faithful　take　heart　and　make　ready。



How　soon　might　not　the　long…predestined　hour　strike；　when　the　

twelfth　Imam；　the　guide；　the　Mahdi；　would　reveal　himself　to　the　

world？'　In　that　hour；　the　righteous　'Would　triumph　and　the　guilty



be　laid　low　forever。'　Such　was　the　teaching　of　Mohammed　Ahmed。　A　

band　of　enthusiastic　disciples　gathered　round　him；　eagerly　

waiting　for　the　revelation　which　would　crown　their　hopes。　At　

last；　the　moment　came。　One　evening；　at　Abba　Island；　taking　aside　

the　foremost　of　his　followers；　the　Master　whispered　the　

portentous　news。　He　was　the　Mahdi。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　



The　Egyptian　Governor…General　at　Khartoum；　hearing　that　a　

religious　movement　was　afoot；　grew　disquieted；　and　dispatched　

an　emissary　to　Abba　Island　to　summon　the　impostor　to　his　

presence。　The　emissary　was　courteously　received。　Mohammed　Ahmed；　

he　said；　must　come　at　once　to　Khartoum。　'Must！'　exclaimed　the　

Mahdi；　starting　to　his　feet；　with　a　strange　look　in　his　eyes。　The



look　was　so　strange　that　the　emissary　thought　it　advisable　to　cut



short　the　interview　and　to　return　to　Khartoum　empty…handed。　

Thereupon；　the　Governor…General　sent　200　soldiers　to　seize　the　

audacious　rebel　by　force。　With　his　handful　of　friends；　the　Mahdi

fell　upon　the　soldiers　and　cut　them　to　pieces。　The　news　spread　

like　wild…fire　through　the　country：　the　Mahdi　had　arisen；　the　

Egyptians　were　destroyed。　But　it　was　clear　to　the　little　band　of　

enthusiasts　at　Abba　Island　that　their　position　on　the　river　was　

no　longer　tenable。　The　Mahdi；　deciding　upon　a　second　Hegira；　

retreated　south…westward；　into　the　depths　of　Kordofan。



The　retreat　was　a　triumphal　progress。　The　country；　groaning　under



alien　misgovernment　and　vibrating　with　religious　excitement；　

suddenly　found　in　this　rebellious　prophet　a　rallying…point；　a　

hero；　a　deliverer。　And　now　another　element　was　added　to　the　

forces　of　insurrection。　The　Baggara　tribes　of　Kordofan；　cattle…

owners　and　slave…traders；　the　most　warlike　and　vigorous　of　the　

inhabitants　of　the　Sudan；　threw　in　their　lot　with　the　Mahdi。　

Their　powerful　Emirs；　still　smarting　from　the　blows　of　Gordon；　

saw　that　the　opportunity　for　revenge　had　come。　A　holy　war　was　

proclaimed　against　the　Egyptian　misbelievers。　The　followers　of　

the　Mahdi；　dressed；　in　token　of　a　new　austerity　of　living；　in　the



'jibbeh'；　or　white　smock　of　coarse　cloth；　patched　with　variously　

shaped　and　coloured　patches；　were　rapidly　organised　into　a　

formidable　army。　Several　attacks　from　Khartoum　were　repulsed；　and



at　last；　the　Mahdi　felt　strong　enough　to　advance　against　the　

enemy。　While　his　lieutenants　led　detachments　into　the　vast　

provinces　lying　to　the　west　and　the　southDarfur　and　Bahr…el…

Ghazalhe　himself　marched　upon　El　Obeid；　the　capital　of　

Kordofan。　It　was　in　vain　that　reinforcements　were　hurried　from　

Khartoum　to　the　assistance　of　the　garrison：　there　was　some　severe



fighting；　the　town　was　completely　cut　off；　and；　after　a　six　

months'　siege；　it　surrendered。　A　great　quantity　of　guns　and　

ammunition　and　￡100；000　in　spices　fell　into　the　hands　of　the　

Mahdi。　He　was　master　of　Kordofan：　he　was　at　the　head　of　a　great　

army；　he　was　rich；　he　was　worshipped。　A　dazzling　future　opened　

before　him。　No　possibility　seemed　too　remote；　no　fortune　too　

magnificent。　A　vision　of　universal　empire　hovered　before　his　

eyes。　Allah；　whose　servant　he　was；　who　had　led　him　thus　far；　

would　lead　him　onward　still；　to　the　glorious　end。



For　some　months　he　remained　at　El　Obeid；　consolidating　his　

dominion。　In　a　series　of　circular　letters；　he　described　his　

colloquies　with　the　Almighty　and　laid　down　the　rule　of　living　

which　his　followers　were　to　pursue。　The　faithful；　under　pain　of　

severe　punishment；　were　to　return　to　the　ascetic　simplicity　of　

ancient　times。　A　criminal　code　was　drawn　up；　meting　out　

executions；　mutilations；　and　floggings　with　a　barbaric　zeal。　The　

blasphemer　was　to　be　instantly　hanged；　the　adulterer　was　to　be　

scourged　with　whips　of　rhinoceros　hide；　the　thief　was　to　have　his



right　hand　and　his　left　foot　hacked　off　in　the　marketplace。　

No　more　were　marriages　to　be　celebrated　with　pomp　and　feasting；

no　

more　was　the　youthful　warrior　to　swagger　with　flowing　hair；　

henceforth；　the　believer　must　banquet　on　dates　and　milk；　and　his　

head　must　be　kept　shaved。　Minor　transgressions　were　punished　by　

confiscation　of　property　or　by　imprisonment　and　chains。　But　the　

rhinoceros　whip　was　the　favourite　instrument　of　chastisement。　Men



were　flogged　for　drinking　a　glass　of　wine；　they　were　flogged　for　

smoking；　if　they　swore；　they　received　eighty　lashes　for　every　

expletive；　and　after　eighty　lashes　it　was　a　common　thing　to　die。　

Before　long；　flogging　grew　to　be　so　everyday　an　incident　that　the



young　men　made　a　game　of　it；　as　a　test　of　their　endurance　of　

pain。　



With　this　Spartan　ferocity　there　was　mingled　the　glamour　

and　the　mystery　of　the　East。　The　Mahdi　himself；　his　four　

Khalifas；　and　the　principal　Emirs；　masters　of　sudden　riches；　

surrounded　themselves　with　slaves　and　women；　with　trains　of　

horses　and　asses；　with　body　guards　and　glittering　arms。　There　

were　rumours　of　debaucheries　in　high　places　of　the　Mahdi；　

forgetful　of　his　own　ordinances；　revelling　in　the　recesses　of　his



harem；　and　quaffing　date　syrup　mixed　with　ginger　out　of　the　

silver　cups　looted　from　the　church　of　the　Christians。　But　that　

imposing　figure　had　only　to　show　itself　for　the　tongue　of　scandal



to　be　stilled。　The　tall；　broad…shouldered；　majestic　man；　with　the



dark　face　and　black　beard　and　great　eyeswho　could　doubt　that　he



was　the　embodiment　of　a　superhuman　power？　Fascination　dwelt　in　

every　movement；　every　glance。　The　eyes；　painted　with　antimony；　

flashed　extraordinary　fires；　the　exquisite　smile　revealed；　

beneath　the　vigorous　lips；　white　upper　teeth　with　a　V…shaped　

space　between　them　the　certain　sign　of　fortune。　His　turban　was　

folded　with　faultless　art；　his　jibbeh；　speckless；　was　perfumed　

with　sandal…wood；　musk；　and　attar　of　roses。　He　was　at　once　all　

courtesy　and　all　command。　Thousands　followed　him；　thousands　

prostrated　themselves　before　him；　thousands；　when　he　lifted　up　

his　voice　in　solemn　worship；　knew　that　the　heavens　were　opened　

and　that　they　had　come　near　to　God。　Then　all　at　once　the　onbeia



the　elephant's…tusk　trumpetwould　give　out　its　enormous　sound。　

The　nahasthe　brazen　wardrums　would　summon；　with　their　weird　

rolling；　the　whole　host　to　arms。　The　green　flag　and　the　red　flag　

and　the　black　flag　would　rise　over　the　multitude。　The　great　army　

would　move　forward；　coloured；　glistening；　dark；　violent；　proud；　

beautiful。　The　drunkenness；　the　madness　of　religion　would　blaze　

on　every　face；　and　the　Mahdi；　immovable　on　his　charger；　would　let



the　scene　grow　under　his　eyes　in　silence。



El　Obeid　fell　in　January；　1883。　Meanwhile；　events　of　the　deepest　

importance　had　occurred　in　Egypt。　The　rise　of　Arabi　had　

synchronised　with　that　of　the　Mahdi。　Both　movements　were　

nationalist；　both　were　directed　against　alien　rulers　who　had　

shown　themselves　unfit　to　rule。　While　the　Sudanese　were　shaking　

off　the　yoke　of　Egypt；　the　Egyptians　themselves　grew　impatient　of



their　own　masters　the　Turkish　and　Circassian　Pashas　who　filled　

with　their　incompetence　all　the　high　offices　of　state。　The　army　

led　by　Ahmed　Arabi；　a　Colonel　of　fellah　origin；　mutinied；　the　

Khedive　gave　way；　and　it　seemed　as　if　a　new　order　were　about　to　

be　established。　A　new　order　was　indeed　upon　the　point　of　

appearing：　but　it　was　of　a　kind　undreamt　of　in　Arabi's　

philosophy。　At　the　critical　moment；　the　English　Government　

intervened。　An　English　fleet　bombarded　Alexandria；　an　English　

army　landed　under　Lord　Wolseley；　and　defeated　Arabi　and　his　

supporters　at　Tel…el…kebir。　The　rule　of　the　Pashas　was　nominally　

restored；　but　henceforth；　in　effect；　the　English　were　masters　of　

Egypt。　　



Nevertheless；　the　English　themselves　were　slow　to　recognise　this　

fact：　their　Government　had　intervened　unwillingly；　the　occupation



of　the　country　was　a　merely　temporary　measure；　their　army　was　to　

be　withdrawn　as　soon　as　a　tolerable　administration　had　been　set　

up。　But　a　tolerable　administration；　presided　over　by　the　Pashas；　

seemed　long　in　coming；　and　the　English　army　remained。　In　the　

meantime；　the　Mahdi　had　entered　El　Obeid；　and　his　dominion　was　

rapidly　spreading　over　the　greater　part　of　the　Sudan。



Then　a　terrible　catastrophe　took　place。　The　Pashas；　happy　once　

more　in　Cairo；　pulling　the　old　strings　and　growing　fat　over　the　

old　flesh…pots；　decided　to　give　the　world　an　unmistakable　proof　

of　their　renewed　vigour。　They　would　tolerate　the　insurrection　in　

the　Sudan　no　longer；　they　would　destroy　the　Mahdi；　reduce　his　

followers　to　submission；　and　re…establish　their　own　beneficent　

rule　over　the　whole　country。　To　this　end　they　collected　together　

an　army　of　10；000　men；　and　placed　it　under　the　command　of　Colonel



Hicks；　a　retired　English　officer。　He　was　ordered　to　advance　and　

suppress　the　rebellion。　In　these　proceedings　the　English　

Government　refused　to　take　any　part。　Unable；　or　unwilling；　to　

realise　that；　so　long　as　there　was　an　English　army　in　Egypt　they　

could　not　avoid　the　res