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Outside Nahoum's door she had a moment of utter weakness, when her knees smote together, and her throat became parched; but before the door had swung wide and her eyes swept the cool and shadowed room, she was as composed as on that night long ago when she had faced the man who knew. Nahoum was standing in a waiting and respectful attitude as she entered.
The hand that took the letter trembled slightly in spite of her will, but it was not the disclosure Nahoum had made which caused her agitation. This letter she held was in David Claridge's hand, the first she had ever seen, and, maybe, the last that he had ever written, or that any one would ever see, a document of tears. But no, there were no tears in this letter!
"We are ready at last," he said, looking from one to the other. "Well, well," he added, almost boyishly, "has thee nothing to say, Nahoum?" Nahoum turned his head away as though overcome. David's face grew instantly grave. He turned to Lacey. Never before had he seen Lacey's face with a look like this. He grasped Lacey's arm. "What is it?" he asked quietly. "What does thee want to say to me?"
"His ship will sail when thine is crumbling on the sands, and all thou art is like a forsaken cockatrice's nest." "Is it this thou hast come to say to the Effendina?" "What I have come to say to the Effendina is for the world to know after it hath reached his ears. I know thee, Nahoum Pasha. Thou art a traitor.
"And so you thought you'd tell the funny little story to Nahoum as quick as could be, eh? He likes funny stories, same as you damn, nice, funny little stories, eh?" There was something chilly in Lacey's voice now, which Higli did not like; something much too menacing and contemptuous for a mere man-of-all-work to the Inglesi. Higli bridled up, his eyes glared sulkily.
And now this new-comer who would rule Kaid, and lay his hand upon Egypt like Joseph of old, and bring back Nahoum, to the shame of every Muslim behold, the spark is to the tinder, it shall burn." "And the hour, Effendina?" "At midnight. The guns to be trained on the Citadel, the Palace surrounded. Kaid's Nubians?" "A hundred will be there, Effendina, the rest a mile away at their barracks."
"The day is far spent," answered Nahoum, in a voice unheard by Diaz; and, with a word to his coachman, who drove off quickly, he disappeared in the shrubbery. A few minutes later he was tapping at the door of Mizraim, the Chief Eunuch. Three times he tapped in the same way. Presently the door opened, and he stepped inside.
The soldiers were paid in slaves got in the slave-hunt; and I have gold from the slave-dealers. I needed it, for the hour is come when I must do more for Egypt than I have ever done." With a gesture of contempt Ebn Ezra made to leave, seeing an official of the Palace in the distance. Nahoum stopped him. "But, one moment ere thou dost thrust thy hand into the cockatrice's den.
I can see that Ebn Ezra has told the Saadat things that make him want to get away to Cairo as soon as possible. That it's Nahoum Pasha and others oh, plenty of others, of course I'm certain; but what the particular game is I don't know. Perhaps you know over in England, for you're nearer Cairo than we are by a few miles, and you've got the telegraph.
With his eye meeting Kaid's again, after a low salaam, Nahoum made answer: "I would that the lance of my fame might sheathe itself in the breasts of thy enemies, Effendina." "Thy tongue does that office well," was the reply. Once more Kaid laid a gentle hand upon Nahoum's beard.
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