Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen: Imprisoned

The place where the captives were taken was the town's original fortress.It has long been dilapidated.A broken wall encloses a modest hillock to the north of the oasis.In the past, the Tuareg people of Zanfek used it as a simple fortress during fierce fighting among tribes in the Jared area.However, after the struggle calmed down, everyone neither repaired it nor maintained it. A truncated building resembling a minaret of a mosque is the only protruding feature of the fort, from which it can be seen very openly in all directions. However, although it is dilapidated, people can still live inside this fort.Entering the inner courtyard, there are two or three houses without furniture and wall decorations, which are separated by thick walls to avoid the wind and cold in all seasons.

Since arriving in Zanfiq, the engineer, Captain Ardigon, Corporal Pistache, Monsieur François and two North African cavalry had been brought here. Adiyar said nothing to them, and Soar, who had brought them to the fort with twelve Tuaregs, did not answer any of their questions. It goes without saying that it was impossible for Captain Aldigon and his companions to reach for their weapons, knives, pistols, and carbines when the camp was attacked.Moreover, they were searched and the small amount of money they brought was also taken away.They were even rude to Monsieur François, and these wicked people took his razor away.

When Soal left them alone, the captain and engineer first took a close look at the fort. When a person is in prison, the first thing to do is to browse through the prison engineer to remind everyone. The second thing was to get out of there, Captain Aldigon added. So, everyone looked around the inner courtyard, and in the middle of the courtyard stood the half tower.It must be clearly realized that the wall surrounding it, which is as high as twenty people's feet, cannot be crossed.We didn't find any gaps there.Only one door opened towards the access to the central courtyard.This door was also closed by Soar, and its thick door leaf, reinforced with iron plates, could not be broken.However, people can only go out through this door, and it is true that the surroundings of the fort cannot be left unguarded.

Night fell, and the captives lived in darkness.They get no light, no more food.For the first few hours they waited in vain for food and water to be brought, because they were so thirsty and the door would not open. The captives surveyed the yard in the brief twilight light, and then gathered together in a room adjoining the yard where a dung bucket made of stipa was placed.Then they poured out their most sad thoughts and exchanged views, and the corporal said: Are these bastards trying to starve us to death? No, that's not what they're afraid of.At the last stop ten kilometers away from Zanfek, the Tuareg bandits rested, and the food on the dromedary's back included some prisoners.As night came, Captain Altigon and his companions were sure to be in the mood for something to eat.If they don't give them enough food the next morning, they will be so hungry!

Let's try to sleep, said the engineer. In the dream we were sitting at a sumptuous table with ribs, stuffed goose, salad added Corporal. Don't stop, Corporal!Mr. Francois ordered, a pot of delicious fat soup is enough! Now, what were Adyar's intentions with his captives?He must have recognized Captain Altegan.Now that he's caught, doesn't he want to punish the captain?Wouldn't it put him and his companions to death? I don't think so, Mr. De Charais claimed.Our lives could not have been threatened. Instead, the Tuaregs considered later, their interest was to hold us hostage.However, in order to prevent the completion of the canal project, it must be considered that the Adiyars and Tuaregs, when the workers return, will attack the construction site 347 kilometers away.Adyar may fail in a new conspiracy. He may fall into the hands of the authorities again, and this time, we'll keep him under wraps, and he won't be able to escape.Therefore, we can still be good for him until the day when Adiyar is about to return, and he will say: My life and the lives of my companions are exchanged for the lives of my captives, and he will surely From what I hear, I think this day is not far away, because it is probably time for Adiyar's next attack, and soon he will face the attack of the Magzhan and Turkish troops sent to rescue us.

There may be a point, Captain Aldigon replied.But let it not be forgotten that this Adiyar was a vindictive and cruel man, and it was in this that he made his reputation.We, as we reason, do not reason from his essence.he needs revenge And this is just for you, my captain, Corporal Pistash reminds the captain, since you did capture him a few weeks ago. In fact, Corporal, even I am amazed that, having recognized me and who I am, he was not the first to use violence!Besides, we waited to see for sure that we fell into his hands, and we didn't know the fate of Viette and Puanta any more than they knew ours.

It shows that I, my dear Dessaray, am neither worth the price of Adyar's freedom nor the spoils of his life as a robber. We must escape at all costs, and when I think the moment is right, I cannot get out of here.But for me, when I appear before my comrades, I want to be a free man, not a captive in exchange, and I want to stand up for my life and find for myself the pistol or sword in my hand, Come face to face with bandits who took us by surprise. Now that Captain Ardigan and M. de Charais were planning the escape, Pistache and M. François decided to follow their superiors, further intending to rely on foreign aid, and perhaps even on the wisdom of their friend who cut hearts.

In fact, the situation is like this, and it must be correctly understood. The dog was not forgotten, and since their departure Chehongxin had followed the captive all the way to Zanfek, and the Tuaregs did not want to drive him away.But when Captain Aldigon and his companions were brought to the fort, they did not allow the faithful animal to follow the captive there.Is this intentional?It's hard to say.For sure, all regret not having it.But if it was there, since it was so clever and so faithful, what could it do for them? We don't know we don't know Pistache repeated that while chatting with Monsieur François.Dogs, they have an instinctive mind that humans don't.Talk to Cut Heart about its owner Nicole and his friends, maybe he'll go find them himself?Indeed, since we can't get out of this wretched yard, neither can we cut hearts!Nevermind, I want it here!As long as these savages don't hurt it!

Monsieur François nodded without answering, stroking his chin and cheeks, which had just grown a bristly beard. The captives, in the vain hope that some food would be brought to them, felt a great need for a rest.Lying on the piles of stipa grass, all fell asleep sooner or later, waking up from rather uncomfortable nights since the day. M. François rightly objected to the fact that we hadn't had dinner last night, from which it must be concluded that we're going to be without lunch again this morning? It's annoying, I might even say nasty!Pistash made an excuse, yawned, and took off his handkerchief, not that he was not sleepy this time, but that he was hungry.

The captives soon settled on this very interesting subject.An hour later, Ahmet and twelve Tuaregs crept into the yard, where they set down the same sticky pastries, cold meats and dates as yesterday, enough to feed ten people for a day, filled with jugs. Filled with water drawn from the small river that runs through the Zanfiq Oasis. Once again Captain Aldigun wanted to know what fate the Tuareg chief had planned for them, and he asked Ahmet. This man was not Soar from yesterday, he would not answer.He must have taken orders in this regard, and he left the yard without a word.Three days passed without any change in the situation.It was impossible to try to escape from the castle, at least over the high walls, and it was impossible to do so without a ladder.Climbing over the wall in the dark, can Captain Altigon and his companions escape across the oasis?There seemed to be a guard outside, and no footsteps were heard on the ring road, day or night.Besides, what good is a wall against an impenetrable barrier, and a door cannot be forced open.

Furthermore, the corporals were able to understand the layout of the oasis from the first day of their incarceration.After much effort, and at the risk of breaking his neck a hundred times, he was able to go from the broken steps to the capless vault. From there, looking through the last doorway, it was possible to observe without being seen, and the vast panorama of the oasis was in full view. Below him, the town in the trees of the oasis of Zanfiq surrounds the fort.Looking from a distance, the territory of Hingiz is three to four kilometers long from east to west.To the north is a large group of houses, which look very white in the shade of green trees.One of the houses was completely surrounded by walls, and many flags were planted at the entrance, fluttering in the breeze.The corporal was right. This house must belong to Adiyar. It was unmistakable. On the afternoon of April 20th, the corporal went to the observation site of the vault again and found that there was a big activity in the town, the house was gradually empty, and it seemed that many local people came from different places in Hingiz.They were not a caravan for business, for there were no camels, and no animals that came with them. Who knows, is there an important meeting held in Zangfeike under the call of Adiyar?In fact, the main square quickly fills up with people. Seeing all this happened, the corporal thought that the captain should be informed, and he called the captain. Captain Aldigon came to Pistash at once and climbed up the narrow vaulted tower, but it was not without difficulty. That's right, it must be a gathering for giving gifts to the chiefs. There are hundreds of Tuaregs gathered in Zanfek at this moment.Shouts can be heard, gesturing can be seen from the tower, and the simmering situation does not stop until a figure comes, followed by a man and a woman, coming out of the house, and the corporal points to A Tuareg chief who walks ahead of the women. This is Adiyar, this is him!I recognized him.exclaimed Captain Altegan. You are right, my captain, I recognized him too.The corporal agreed. In fact, it was Adiyar, her mother Gemma and his brother Soar, who cheered as soon as they entered the square. Quiet for a while.Adhial spoke in front of the crowd, and for an hour, sometimes interrupted by loud cheers, he prattled on to the natives.But neither the captain nor the corporal could hear what he said.When the meeting ended, there was another cry, Adiyar returned to his residence, and the town returned to its usual calm. Captain Aldigun and Pistash quickly jumped out into the yard and told their companions what they had seen. The engineer said: I think this rally is to protest the flooding of the salt lake, there must be several new attacks I thought so too, and Captain Aldigon also asserted that this might be aimed at Puanta and set up camp again on the Guleana road. Unless we're involved, said Corporal Pistash, these scoundrels are only gathering to kill captives! There was a long silence after this discussion.The captain and the engineer exchanged glances that revealed the secret of their thoughts.Even if the Tuareg chief decided to rob, they wanted to make an example, and for this purpose he called all the tribes of Hingiz to Zanfek, shouldn't he be worried?On the other hand, since Lieutenant Vieter may not know where the captives were taken or which tribe they fell into, how to keep the captives' desire to be rescued? Before descending from the top of the tower, however, Captain Aldigun and the corporal made a final survey of the whole district of Malegir that lay before their eyes.The south is as desolate as the north, and the part of Hingiz that stretches east and west is equally desolate, and this area will become an island after the flood.Not a caravan crossed this vast depression.As for Lieutenant Vieter's detachment, waiting for him to seek out in the direction of Zanfiq and have some of his men attack the town? So this is waiting to happen, how worrisome it is!Minute by minute, won't the gates of the fort open to let Adiyar and his men pass? If the Tuareg chiefs had them dragged to the square to be executed, would it be possible to resist them?If you didn't do something today, will you do it tomorrow? A day passed, but nothing changed.In the morning some food was put out in the yard again, enough for the prisoners to eat.It was getting dark, and they were lying on the straw in the house where they had spent the night a few days ago. But they had barely slept for half an hour when there was a sound outside.Were some Tuaregs on the ring road?Is the door about to open?Had Adiyar sent for the captives? The corporal got up immediately, curled up by the door and listened carefully. It was not footsteps that reached his ears, but low and mournful screams.A dog circled around the base of the wall. Cut hearts is it!is it!Pistash yelled. The dog was lying on the ground by the threshold. Cut the red heart cut the red heart is that you?my good dog.he repeated. The animal knew the corporal's voice as well as its master's, and responded with a half-restrained cry. Yes, it's us who cut hearts, it's us!Pistash repeated.ah!If you can find the sergeant major and his buddy, your friends are scrambling to be the first, you hear, tell them we're locked up in this hut! Captain Aldigon and the others approached the gate.If only they could use dogs to bond with their comrades!Wrap a piece of paper around its neck and who knows, using only its instincts, will the faithful animal find the lieutenant?And Vieter knows where his comrades are, and will take steps to rescue them! Under no circumstances should cutting hearts be caught on the ring road in front of the gates of the fort.So the corporal repeatedly told it: go my dog ​​go Cut Red Heart understands, because, after giving it a final good-bye caress, he left. The next day was the same as the day before, and the food was delivered early in the morning. It should be expected that the situation of the prisoners has not changed today. The dog didn't come back the next night.At least, Pistash, who was waiting for its return, heard nothing.He wondered if the poor dog had been plotted to never see him again. Two days passed without incident, and no one noticed any activity in the town. On April 24th, near eleven o'clock, when Ardigan went to the top to observe, he found that Zangfik was active.Like the clamor of horses, there was an unusual gunshot.At the same time, residents gathered in the main square, and many people on horseback were approaching the square. On this day, is it Aldigan and his comrades who are going to be brought here to meet Adiyar? No, not this time, nothing.On the contrary, everything indicated that the leader of the Tuaregs was about to start.He was on his horse, in the middle of the square, watching over a hundred or so Tuaregs who were riding like him. Half an hour later, Adiyar walked up to the team and walked out of town, heading east of Hingiz. The captain jumped quickly from above to the yard, and announced to his companions the departure of those men. This is the crusade against Gulea, where work is about to resume, no doubt about it.said the engineer. Who knows if Adiyar will encounter Vieter and his detachment?The captain reminded. Yes, everything is possible, but not sure, replied the corporal.What is certain, however, is that now that Adyar and his scoundrels are out of town, there will be an opportunistic escape how?asked a North African cavalryman. yeah how?How to take advantage of this new opportunity?Aren't the walls of the fort forever impenetrable?The gate is locked outside, can it be broken?On the other hand, who is waiting to come to the rescue? However, when it comes to this rescue, it depends. On the second night the dog barked dully as he had done the first time, while he approached the gate and scratched the ground with his paws. Guided by instinct, Che Hongxin discovered a hole at the foot of the fence, almost filled with soil, through which the dog could enter from the outside. Suddenly, the corporal who was waiting there saw it appear in the yard. right!Che Hongxin approached him, jumping and screaming, and it took some effort for him to stop it. Captain Altegan, M. de Charley, and the others rushed out of the house at once, and the dog returned to the hole through which he had just come, and they followed him. There is a narrow exit there, as long as some stones and dirt are pushed aside, a person can slip through. Yes, it never occurred to me that this hole should be used tonight before Adiyar returned to Zanfiq. However, cross the town and then the oasis without running into big trouble!How will the escapee go in this dark night?Is there no danger of being caught by people, even Adiyar's men?And it's fifty kilometers to Gulea, without food, only the fruits and grass roots in the oasis, can you make it through? No one wants to see these dangers.They can't wait to escape.They followed the dog out of the cave, and the dog was the first to disappear after passing through the cave. Pass!Said the officer to Pistash. You go first, my captain, the corporal replied. They were careful not to collapse the wall.The prisoners came to the hole, and in about ten minutes they all crossed the ring road. The night was very dark, with thick clouds and no stars.Captain Altigon and his companions would not know which direction to go if the dogs were not there to guide them.They are all proud of the dog's intelligence.In addition, near the fort and on the slope, they didn't bump into anyone, and they slipped from the slope to the edge of the front row of trees. It was eleven o'clock at night.Silence enveloped the town, and the windows of the residents were indeed closed, not allowing a ray of light. The fugitive walked silently through the woods to the edge of the oasis without meeting anyone. It was there that a man with a lantern appeared before them. They recognized him, and he recognized them. The man was Mezach, and he was coming home from this side of town. Before Mezachi could yell, the dog threw himself at his throat and he fell dead. good!good!Cut hearts.said the corporal. The captain and his comrades, no longer caring about the wretch lying dead there, quickened their pace and walked along the edge of Hingiz to the east of Malegir.