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Besides Sardi Babu and Mokarzel there had been Nicola Abbu, the confectioner; Menheem Shikrie, the ice-cream vendor; Habu Kahoots, the showman; and David Elias, a pedler. All six of them, as they claimed, had been sitting peacefully in Ghabryel & Assad's restaurant, eating kibbah arnabeiah and mamoul. Sardi had ordered sheesh kabab.
To the accompaniment of their wine, they rained their witticisms over the unfortunate captain, who on the eve of his marriage with a princess could create a scandal by falling in love with the daughter of a little pensioner. Of all this Major Sardi, Mansana's friend, was a witness. Mansana's last meeting on the hill took place next morning.
Then, Mansana declared, he would at any rate seek Luigi. But Sardi undertook himself to carry the challenge to the lieutenant. "Though, after all," he added, "what is he to be challenged for?" "For what he has said of me," shouted Mansana. "But what has he said of you? That you are in love with Amanda Brandini? Is this not true?"
And from that moment he was like a driven hurricane of wind. He turned and hurried away, in a storm of passion. "Where are you making for?" asked Sardi, as he hastened after him. "I am going to Borghi." "But we had agreed that I was to see him." "Very well, then, go!" "But where are you going?" "To find Borghi!"
"Thou knowest the fate of informers and provocateurs of spies thou infamous Turk!" he answered through his teeth. "A Turk! A Turk!" shrieked Sardi Babu frantically, beating the breast of his blue blouse. "Thou callest me a Turk! Me, the godson of Sarkis Babu and of Elias Stephan whose fathers and grandfathers were Christians when thy family were worshipers of Mohammed. Blasphemy!
Tutt had said, and that no such persons as Mokarzel, Kahoots, Abbu, Shikrie and Elias had been in the restaurant at any time that evening, but on the contrary that they, the friends of Hassoun, had been there eating Turkish pie a few might have had mashed beans with taheenak when Sardi Babu, apparently with suicidal intent, entered alone to take vengeance upon the camel owner. "That is all.
"So I am gathering," Peter said. "I'm reading about osele, marked with the Mocenigo rose. Signor Antonio Sardi seems to be a man worth a visit. I must take Leslie there. That's just the sort of thing he likes. And sixteenth-century visiting cards. Yes, he'd like those too. By all means we'll go to your friend Sardi. You wrote this, I suppose?" Hilary nodded.
"And so it came about that, after those three days of struggle in the mountain town, this same young bride found herself loved as not many women have ever been loved before; for there is power in that deep temperament, which you, dear friend, have given him out of your own perfect soul. But I must not forget to praise the man Sardi; for a man he is indeed!
"Jesting with her!" repeated Mansana scornfully, with clenched fists and knitted brows; whilst Sardi interjected: "Who is to look after her when you are gone?" "I shall not go!" shouted Mansana. "You will not go? Have you lost your senses?" "I shall not go," repeated Mansana, his hands and arms raised above his head as if in confirmation of an oath. Sardi was taken aback.
"But thou art a friend of Hassoun's!" retorted Fajala Mokarzel the grocer. "And," he added in a lower tone, "of Sophie Tadros, his wife." There was a subdued snicker from the crowd, and Murphy inferred that they were laughing at him. "But this man," he shouted wrathfully, pointing at Sardi Babu, "says you all know there's a camel up there. An' this kid's seen it! Come along now, both of you!"
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