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He was beside Kaid's stirrups, but no weapon was in his hand; and his voice was calling blessings down on the Effendina's head for having pardoned and saved from death his one remaining son, the joy of his old age. In all the world there was no prince like Kaid, said the tent-maker; none so bountiful and merciful and beautiful in the eyes of men.
The court-yard was now empty, save for the servants of the Prince, David and Mahommed, and two officers in whom David had advised Kaid to put trust. Presently one of these officers said: "There is another singer, and the last. Is it the Effendina's pleasure?" Kaid made a gesture of assent, sat down, and took the stem of a narghileh between his lips.
Since thou must die, wilt thou not order it after thine own choice? It is to die for Egypt." "Is this the will of Kaid?" asked Harrik, his voice thick with wonder, his brain still dulled by the blow of Fate. "It was not the Effendina's will, but it hath his assent. Wilt thou write the word to the army and also to the Prince?" He had conquered.
In his grave, dost thou say?" High's voice quavered. "Yesterday before sunset, Effendina. By Nahoum's orders." "I ordered the burial for to-day. By the gates of hell, but who shall disobey me!" "He was already buried when the Effendina's orders came," High pleaded anxiously. "Nahoum should have been taken yesterday," he rejoined, with malice in his eyes.
In his grave, dost thou say?" High's voice quavered. "Yesterday before sunset, Effendina. By Nahoum's orders." "I ordered the burial for to-day. By the gates of hell, but who shall disobey me!" "He was already buried when the Effendina's orders came," High pleaded anxiously. "Nahoum should have been taken yesterday," he rejoined, with malice in his eyes.
He was beside Kaid's stirrups, but no weapon was in his hand; and his voice was calling blessings down on the Effendina's head for having pardoned and saved from death his one remaining son, the joy of his old age. In all the world there was no prince like Kaid, said the tent- maker; none so bountiful and merciful and beautiful in the eyes of men.
Since thou must die, wilt thou not order it after thine own choice? It is to die for Egypt." "Is this the will of Kaid?" asked Harrik, his voice thick with wonder, his brain still dulled by the blow of Fate. "It was not the Effendina's will, but it hath his assent. Wilt thou write the word to the army and also to the Prince?" He had conquered.
He replied, 'If I had all the Effendina's wealth, I would sleep till I died. To a blind beggar, shaking the copper in his cup in the highways, pleading dumbly to those who passed, I made similar inquisition, and he replied 'If the wealth of the exalted one were mine, I would sit on the mastaba by the bake-house, and eat three times a day, save at Ramadan, when I would bless Allah the compassionate and merciful, and breakfast at sunset with the flesh of a kid and a dish of dates. To a woman at the door of a tomb hung with relics of hundreds of poor souls in misery, who besought the buried saint to intercede for her with Allah, I made the same catechism, and she answered, 'Oh, effendi, if his wealth were mine, I would give my son what he has lost. 'What has he lost, woman? said I; and she answered: 'A little house with a garden, and a flock of ten goats, a cow and a dovecote, his inheritance of which he has been despoiled by one who carried a false debt 'gainst his dead father. And I said to her: 'But if thy wealth were as that of the ruler of the city, thy son would have no need of the little house and garden and the flock of goats, and a cow and a dovecote. Whereupon she turned upon me in bitterness, and said: 'Were they not his own as the seed of his father?
He didn't start his desert-city and his slavery without the consent of the Khedive; he shouldn't have stopped it and gone out of business without the same consent. It cut down the Effendina's tribute." He spoke slowly, counting every word, watching the effect upon her. He had much to watch, and he would have seen more if he had known women better.
He replied, 'If I had all the Effendina's wealth, I would sleep till I died. To a blind beggar, shaking the copper in his cup in the highways, pleading dumbly to those who passed, I made similar inquisition, and he replied 'If the wealth of the exalted one were mine, I would sit on the mastaba by the bake-house, and eat three times a day, save at Ramadan, when I would bless Allah the compassionate and merciful, and breakfast at sunset with the flesh of a kid and a dish of dates. To a woman at the door of a tomb hung with relics of hundreds of poor souls in misery, who besought the buried saint to intercede for her with Allah, I made the same catechism, and she answered, 'Oh, effendi, if his wealth were mine, I would give my son what he has lost. 'What has he lost, woman? said I; and she answered: 'A little house with a garden, and a flock of ten goats, a cow and a dovecote, his inheritance of which he has been despoiled by one who carried a false debt 'gainst his dead father. And I said to her: 'But if thy wealth were as that of the ruler of the city, thy son would have no need of the little house and garden and the flock of goats, and a cow and a dovecote. Whereupon she turned upon me in bitterness, and said: 'Were they not his own as the seed of his father?
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