Vladimir Bartol - Alamut

In the course of two years the sultana and her secretary had kept their word. Whenever Nizam al-Mulk pressed the sultan to move against the Ismailis, the two of them would downplay Hasan’s exploits and point out that the grand vizier’s efforts were no more than the result of his personal hatred for Hasan ibn Sabbah. The sultan was glad to believe this. Since he was more inclined to Nizam’s side in the choice of an heir, he was all the more willing to concede to the sultana and her vizier when it came to the Ismailis.

Now reis Abul Fazel told Hasan what Muzaffar’s messenger from the court at Isfahan had told him. When Nizam al-Mulk learned that Husein Alkeini had become ensconced in the fortress of Gonbadan and was rousing all of Khuzestan against the sultan in Hasan’s name, he was nearly frightened to death. He knew that he and Hasan still had a grim score to settle, and this led him to resort to extreme measures with the sultan. Years before he had manipulated Hasan’s disgrace in the sultan’s eyes by using a trick to portray him as a flippant jokester who had tried to deprive him, the vizier, of his position at court. The sultan grew angry, and Hasan was forced to flee Isfahan overnight. Since then the sultan had been unable to view Hasan’s exploits as a serious matter. Now the grand vizier confessed to him that he had tricked Hasan back then, and that the Ismaili leader was in fact a dangerously capable man. The sultan went pale with insult and rage. He shoved the old man, who was abjectly bent down on his knees before him, and withdrew to his chambers. From there he issued a decree that Nizam had ceased to be grand vizier and that the sultana’s secretary would fill that position in the interim. Simultaneously, Nizam was issued an order in the strictest terms to defeat Hasan and eliminate the Ismailis immediately. It goes without saying that the sultana and her secretary could now abandon their ally of convenience since her worst opponent had been eliminated and the two of them now had unlimited influence over the sultan.

After these tumultuous events, the sultan and his entire court set out to travel to Baghdad, so he could visit his sister and her husband, the caliph. He wanted to persuade the latter to designate the son he had had by his sister as his heir.

By the time Abu Ali returned with his report, Hasan had been fully informed of the intrigues at the court in Isfahan. He now listened carefully to the advice of his commanders. When the grand dai had finished, he got up and started pacing back and forth across the room. In his mind he was surveying the situation and deciding what to do.

Finally he said to Abu Ali, “Take the tablet and write.”

The grand dai sat down, crossed his legs, set the tablet on his left knee, and reached for his pencil.

“I’m ready, ibn Sabbah,” he said.

Hasan stopped beside him so he could see over his shoulder and began half-dictating, half-explaining his instructions.

“Concerning the Turkish cavalry,” he said, “Abdul Malik is right. We mustn’t let ourselves become surrounded in the castle too soon. We’ll wait for them out in the open and defeat them there. We have to be sure that Muzaffar gets his units here to help us in time. Abu Ali, you will have command of the force that meets the sultan’s vanguard. Manuchehr will be responsible for the defense of the fortress. This will put his nose out of joint, because he loves the smell of battle, but we need his skills to make sure the castle is ready for any eventuality.

“Next, and this is very important, we need to get rid of all unnecessary mouths to feed and other appurtenances. By tonight after last prayers Abdul Malik is to load the harems, both wives and children, on our pack animals and set out with his caravan. Muzaffar is a kind soul and will have no choice but to take on responsibility for our live cargo. Send a messenger to Rai immediately, so that he’s informed in advance. He’s to have foodstuffs ready for our caravan to transport back, and he should immediately dispatch as many of his men to Alamut as he can spare. Tell him he can put the women and children straight to work, so that he doesn’t incur too much of a loss… And what are your plans, my dear Abul Fazel?”

Smiling, he cast a stinging glance at the reis.

“I’ll be taking off with Abdul Malik’s caravan,” the former mayor replied. “I wouldn’t be caught in this mousetrap when the sultan’s army arrives for anything in the world. Muzaffar’s and my advice has not been in vain. I’ve done my duty, and now the only thing remaining for me is to make a quick exit.”

“Your decision suits my plans perfectly,” Hasan laughed. “Your presence will be enough to protect the caravan, so that Abdul Malik will only have to take a handful of men along. Muzaffar should add a few men of his own for the trip back. I’m counting on you to look after our harem kin.”

Then he turned back to Abu Ali.

“Send a messenger to Rudbar immediately with an order for Buzurg Ummid to come to Alamut. I need him personally. It’s a pity Khuzestan is so far that Husein Alkeini couldn’t get here in time. But he needs to be informed too. Things will happen here that will make our remote descendants gape in awe…”

He chuckled to himself quietly, absorbed in his own thoughts. He was silent for a while, then he spoke to the reis.

“Listen, Abul Fazel! I have the impression you still take me for an idiot, like you did in our Isfahan days, because what you see is an army of thirty thousand soldiers marching against our handful of men. But what you don’t see are the angels gathered to help and protect us, like they once protected the Prophet and his people in the battle of Beder.”

“Always joking, you’re still always joking,” Abul Fazel replied with a sour smile. He was a little offended, because he thought Hasan was making fun of him again.

“I’m not joking, no, old friend,” Hasan said cheerfully. “I’m just speaking a bit in parables. I’m telling you, I’ve got such surprises ready that people won’t believe their own ears. I’m going to show the world what kind of miracles faith can work.”

Then he resumed dictating instructions. Finally he gave orders to Abu Ali.

“Inform everyone of the tasks I’ve assigned them. Select your messengers and write out the appropriate commands. They must set out at once. Have Abdul Malik bring my daughters to me before he leaves. Once you’ve taken care of all that, assemble all the men and tell them that the sultan has declared war on us. Order the novices to get ready, because tomorrow morning will be the beginning of their test. Be firm and demanding with them, squeeze everything they can do out of them. Threaten them that they won’t earn their ordination. But tomorrow evening you’ll assemble them in the mosque and ordain them as fedayeen. Make that the most solemn moment of their lives and their highest achievement in this world. All of this following the model that you and I experienced in Cairo… Is all that clear?”

“Perfectly clear, ibn Sabbah.”

Hasan dismissed both of the old men. He stretched out on his pillows and once more thought through all of the measures he had just taken. When he was certain he hadn’t left out anything of major significance, he drifted peacefully off to sleep.

All this time the men stood waiting in the courtyard under the baking sun. They watched their senior officers disappearing inside the building of the supreme commander for long periods of time. The soldiers could barely control their impatience.

The novices were assembled in two rows in front of their building. They stood as straight as cypresses, gazing fiercely ahead. The honor of having been chosen to escort the old dignitary still filled them with pride, but gradually their patience eroded too.