The River of Eternity: a Novel by Ehud Peled

Author:Ehud Peled [Peled, Ehud]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-10-08T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Elam spent already seven weeks at the home of Hushan, the head of the village that the river had delivered him to, after he had flung himself into the water on that nightmarish, terrible night on the mountain, when he had, with his own hand, killed his old mentor, his teacher, who had disguised himself by wearing a mask of the red deer, and planned his demise and his death at the hand of his disciple, while still standing erect on his two feet.

Elam wandered around idly and no one rebuked him. For hours he would sit under the willow trees, listening to Nama talking in her local strange language, until the words became intelligible and he learned a little of the dialect and meanings.

Even then, Elam spoke little and refused to exchange the solitude of the forest for the company of people and the closeness of a woman. He was welcomed to the landlord’s table with honor and he answered the questions he was asked politely but laconically. He rejected Nama’s efforts to get close to him with chivalry, thanked her father for his hospitality, and informed him that his days there were numbered.

Members of the household quickly became accustomed to the stranger’s manners and left him to himself.

In the castle lived an artisan, the landlord’s uncle, who spent his time forging bronze and silver utensils, which he would decorate with gemstones. Elam was enchanted by the nimbleness of the artisan’s fingers and the masterpieces he would create. For several days, he watched the artisan at work, before asking to become his apprentice. Elam spent many hours every day pounding leaves of metal with a small chisel, polishing stones, melting metal in the flames and burnishing it with velvet and silk cloth. He also mixed colors and used them to decorate strips of softened leather.

One day, when the blacksmith and his apprentice were busy at work, the sound of a disturbance came from the courtyard. At first, Elam paid no heed to the noise, but as the shouting got louder, the artisan looked out of the window, put down his hammer and stepped down. Elam followed him.

On one side of the courtyard, stood the master of the castle with the rest of his household. Opposite them stood two strangers, with wild beards, wearing clothes made of patches of leather. The younger of the two was holding the arm of a servant girl, and in his other hand he held a knife.

The master of the castle stood rooted to the spot; his face drained of all color. The women screamed in terror.

“Quiet,” the master ordered, and the women covered their mouths with the palms of their hands.

“What do you want?” Hushan asked the intruders.

“We are bandits,” the younger one responded, “We have come down from the mountain and not a morsel of food has passed our lips these past two days. We order you to give us bread and water.”

The master of the castle gestured with his hand and

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