THE DECLINE AND FALL

338

CHAP.

L.

fetters, the doubtful allegiance of Telha andZobeir, two of the most powerful of the Ara-bian chiefs. They escaped from Medina toMecca, and from thence to Bassora ; erectedthe standard of revolt, and usurped the govern-ment of Irak, or Assyria , which they had vain-ly solicited as the reward of their services.The mask of patriotism is allowed to cover themost glaring inconsistencies ; and the enemies,perhaps the assassins, of Othman now demand-ed vengeance for his blood They were ac-companied in their flight by Ayesha, the widowof the prophet, who cherished, to the last hourof her life, an implacable hatred against thehusband and the posterity of Fatima. Themostreasonable Moslems were scandalized, that themotherofthe faithful should expose in acampherperson and character; butthe superstitious crowdwas confident that her presence would sanctifythe justice, and assure the success oftheir cause.At the head of twenty thousand of his loyalArabs , and nine thousand valiant auxiliaries ofCufa, the caliph encountered and defeated thesuperior numbers of the rebels under the wallsof Bassora. Their leaders, Telha and Zobeir,were slain in the first battle that stained withcivil blood the arms of the Moslems . After pas-sing through the ranks to animate the troops,Ayesha had chosen her postamidstthedangersofthe field. In the heat of the action, seventy men,who held the bridle of her camel, were succes-sively killed or wounded ; and the cage or litterin which she sat, was stuck with javelins and