that first day, everyone slept from exhaustion, including the englishman. the boy was assigned a place far from his friend, in a tent with five other young men of about his age. they were people of the desert, and clamored to hear his stories about the great cities.
the boy told them about his life as a shepherd, and was about to tell them of his experiences at the crystal shop when the englishman came into the tent.
"i've been looking for you all morning," he said, as he led the boy outside. "i need you to help me find out where the alchemist lives."
first, they tried to find him on their own. an alchemist would probably live in a manner that was different from that of the rest of the people at the oasis, and it was likely that in his tent an oven was continuously burning. they searched everywhere, and found that the oasis was much larger than they could have imagined; there were hundreds of tents.
"we've wasted almost the entire day," said the englishman, sitting down with the boy near one of the wells.
"maybe we'd better ask someone," the boy suggested.
the englishman didn't want to tell others about his reasons for being at the oasis, and couldn't make up his mind. but, finally, he agreed that the boy, who spoke better arabic than he, should do so. the boy approached a woman who had come to the well to fill a goatskin with water.
"good afternoon, ma'am. i'm trying to find out where the alchemist lives here at the oasis."
the woman said she had never heard of such a person, and hurried away. but before she fled, she advised the boy that he had better not try to converse with women who were dressed in black, because they were married women. he should respect tradition.
the englishman was disappointed. it seemed he had made the long journey for nothing. the boy was also saddened; his friend was in pursuit of his destiny. and, when someone was in such pursuit, the entire universe made an effort to help him succeed—that's what the old king had said. he couldn't have been wrong.
"i had never heard of alchemists before," the boy said. "maybe no one here has, either."
the englishman's eyes lit up. "that's it! maybe no one here knows what an alchemist is! find out who it is who cures the people's illnesses!"
several women dressed in black came to the well for water, but the boy would speak to none of them, despite the englishman's insistence. then a man approached.
"do you know someone here who cures people's illnesses?" the boy asked.
"allah cures our illnesses," said the man, clearly frightened of the strangers. "you're looking for witch doctors." he spoke some verses from the koran, and moved on.
another man appeared. he was older, and was carrying a small bucket. the boy repeated his question.
"why do you want to find that sort of person?" the arab asked.
"because my friend here has traveled for many months in order to meet with him," the boy said.
"if such a man is here at the oasis, he must be the very powerful one," said the old man after thinking for a few moments. "not even the tribal chieftains are able to see him when they want to. only when he consents.
"wait for the end of the war. then leave with the caravan. don't try to enter into the life of the oasis," he said, and walked away.
but the englishman was exultant. they were on the right track.
