Harold Lamb

Name: Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle
Author: Harold Lamb

Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle (1927)

Summary

“Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle”, published in 1927, is a work by Harold Lamb. It explores elements such as Subotai, Mongol and Arslan.

Quotes from Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle (Harold Lamb)

Harold Lamb, Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle (1927)

“ Hugh folded his arms on the hand-guard of Durandal, outwardly calm enough, though he was strung to feverish tension within.
“If Subotai Bahadur has given command to put me to death, I can do nothing.”
“I have not given the order.” For a moment the Mongol looked at the crusader without blinking, and men heard again the roar of the falls and the overtones of the echoes. “A devil is in you! Before, in the valley of the Khaukesh, you were like a man hesitating between two roads. Now you are like a rider who grips the saddle and looks far ahead.” ”

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Source: Wikisource

Harold Lamb, Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle (1927)

“ Hugh spoke suddenly, pointing his finger at the Mongol, who was working himself into a murderous rage.
“Have you forgotten the order of the Kha Khan?”
Sheer surprize at the interruption kept Subotai silent, though the veins in his temples began to throb.
“The order was that you should go to the western world,” Hugh went on.
“Speak!”
“You have turned your reins to the north.”
“Aye, to avoid the great water, the sea. We can not go upon the sea. I will find the road again, though dust storms rise and magicians make their veils in the air.” ”

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Source: Wikisource

Harold Lamb, Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle (1927)

“ The swift action roused him and put him in a pleasant mood.
“We will ride to the Chersonese, you and I. I will see that long sword at its work. We have been sitting too long like women milking camels.” He stood up and roared an order. “Tugh!”
The standard pole with its nine ox-tails was raised, and his horse led forward. The Mongol drummers, with a desperate glance skyward, sounded the long roll that was the summons for the officers to come to their commands.
“But I will give no more than ten men,” Subotai muttered. “They who are sent with you do not come back.” ”

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Source: Wikisource

Harold Lamb, Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle (1927)

“ Occasionally he would call a halt to change saddles to fresher beasts and to cast around for tracks. Whether he guided himself by the stars or had an animal's instinct for sniffing out the road, Hugh never knew. The crusader's wounds were troubling him in the damp night air, but he did not ask the Mongols to rein in, and by the time the crescent moon was out of sight he saw they were on the track of the Horde again.
When the sun forced its way into the gorges and the steady drip-drip began from the forest growth, Arslan saw no reason to halt. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Harold Lamb, Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle (1927)

“ The fate of the Mongol envoys slain by the Georgians would be fresh in Subotai's mind, and there was no knowing how the Eagle might choose to satisfy his anger upon the crusader. If Subotai refused his advice it would be because the Mongol suspected him, and if so, there was no least doubt what would happen.
Suddenly Subotai struck his gnarled hands together.
“Kai! There is surely a devil in you. Swooping Hawk. I wished to learn your plan so that the way would be open to me. Now I see that, alone among the Horde, you can open the portal of the Chersonese.” ”

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Source: Wikisource

Harold Lamb, Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle (1927)

“ And the warriors who were waiting their turn to descend looked about uneasily, believing that this colonnade of stone had been fashioned by giants and that the tumult of the falls was an angry voice threatening them. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Harold Lamb, Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle (1927)

“ Hugh smiled, because he knew that Subotai had been questioning captives, that he longed to take the city of the emperor.
“Once,” he said, “Subotai Bahadur told me the strength of a wall is not in the thickness of its stone but in the men that defend it. I know the emperor and his hired soldiery.”
Once more curiosity quenched the anger of the Mongol.
“Speak!”
“There is a way to carry the wall that bars the Chersonese from the land—aye, though the wall be high as four lances—and to ride in among the Greeks before they can flee in their galleys. ”

Harold Lamb

Summary

Quotes from Rusudan — XII. The Will of the Eagle (Harold Lamb)

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