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Men, birds, and animals alike, all shared the terror of this unheard-of outrage when according to ancient prophesy the Great Devils of Feringistan should desecrate the holy places. "Slow her!" commanded the Master into the engine-room phone, and began compensating with the helicopters, as Nissr lagged over the crowded city. "Shut off let her drift! Stand by to reverse!"
"Let us speak of the gifts, O Bara Miyan," answered the Master, while Leclair listened intently and all the Arabs gave close heed. "We have not many hours more to stay in this paradise of thine. We must be away to our own Feringistan, in our flying house. Let us speak of the gifts. But first, I would ask thee something." "Speak, in Allah's name, and it shall be answered thee!"
If treachery were intended, in just this manner would it speak. "Men of Feringistan?" asked the aged Sheik. "And what do ye here?" "We be fighting-men, all," replied the Master. He had already noted, with a thrill of admiration, the wondrous purity of the old man's Arabic.
Blasé as the Legionaries were and hardened to wonders, the sight of this corridor and of the vast banquet-hall opening out of it, at the far end, came near upsetting their aplomb. The major even muttered an oath or two, under his breath, till Leclair nudged him with a forceful elbow. Not thus must Franks, from Feringistan, show astonishment or admiration.
Contemplatively the Master chewed a khat leaf, then smiled a very little, and asked: "Is it permitted to tell thee that this gold, of which thou hast carved thy city this gold which to thee is as stones and earth to the people of Feringistan hath great value with us?" "It is permitted, O Frank. This thing we already know." The old man frowned ominously. "Dost thou ask gold?"
Those of the Faithful who now beheld that movement, felt the avenging messengers of Allah were near, indeed; and a thousand unspoken prayers flamed aloft: "Angels of death, Azraël and his host, smite these outcasts of Feringistan!" The prayers seemed more likely of fulfilment from the hands of the oncoming hordes already streaming into the converging streets to the Haram.
People who glory in murdering the 'idolators of Feringistan, as they call us white men! Let me advise you now, my Captain, when dealing with these people or fighting them, never use your last shot on them. Always keep a mercy-bullet in your gun!" "A mercy-bullet?" "For yourself!"
Well ridden by thee and by all thy men of Feringistan!" exclaimed Bara Miyan, with what seemed real friendliness, as he sat there on his high saddle, gravely stroking his beard. "It was a test for thee and thine, to see, by Allah! if the men of the unbelieving nations be also men like us of Araby! And I see now ye have flying houses. Wherefore horses are not dear to you, as to us.
That would mean that one of us would have to kill a woman for God help a woman of Feringistan caught by these jinnee, these devils of the waste!" Silence again. Both men studied the Beni Harb. The Frenchman judged, reverting to his native tongue: "Certainly more than three hundred of these 'abusers of the salt, my Captain. And we are hardly thirty.
The Sheik, dimly understanding that these devils of Feringistan had by their super-magic overwhelmed him and his tribe with sleep-magic and storm-magic of the strongest, lay bound hand and foot, sullenly brooding. No one could get a word from Abd el Rahman; not even Rrisa, who exhausted a wonderful vocabulary of imprecation on him, until the Master sternly bade him hold his peace.
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