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The face of Achmet the Ropemaker was not more pleasant than his dark words. "It is not the madman with whom you have to deal, but his keeper," rejoined Nahoum. Nahoum's face was heavier than usual. Going to weight, he was still muscular and well groomed. His light brown beard and hair and blue eyes gave him a look almost Saxon, and bland power spoke in his face and in every gesture.
That he was a foe, and a malignant foe, he had no doubt whatever; he had settled the point in his mind long ago; and two letters he had received from Lady Eglington, in which she had said in so many words, "Watch Nahoum!" had made him vigilant and intuitive. He knew, meanwhile, that he was following the trail of a master-hunter who covered up his tracks.
Armenian Christian Nahoum might be, but he was ranged with the East against the West, with the reactionary and corrupt against advance, against civilisation and freedom and equality. Nahoum's Christianity was permeated with Orientalism, the Christian belief obscured by the theism of the Muslim. David was in a deadlier struggle than he knew.
The lean, dark figure of Mizraim bowed low; the long, slow fingers touched the forehead, the breast, and the lips. "May God preserve thy head from harm, excellency, and the night give thee sleep," said Mizraim. He looked inquiringly at Nahoum. "May thy head know neither heat nor cold, and thy joys increase," responded Nahoum mechanically, and sat down.
Shall the truth that I would practise here not find an island in this sea and shall it not be the soul of Nahoum Pasha?" "Have I not given my word? Nay, then, I swear it by the tomb of my brother, whom Death met in the highway, and because he loved the sun, and the talk of men, and the ways of women, rashly smote him out of the garden of life into the void. Even by his tomb I swear it."
He only saw a face which smiled at him, as it had done 'by the brazier in the garden at Cairo, that night when she and Nahoum and himself and Mizraim had met in the room of his house by the Ezbekieh gardens, and she had gone out to her old life in England, and he had taken up the burden of the East that long six years ago.
Nahoum sat sipping coffee. A cigarette was between his fingers. He touched his hand to his forehead and his breast as David closed the door and hung his hat upon a nail.
It did not astonish Mizraim that Nahoum had kept all this secret. That crime should be followed by secrecy and further crime, if need be, seems natural to the Oriental mind. Mizraim had seen removal follow upon removal, and the dark Nile flowed on gloomily, silently, faithful to the helpless ones tossed into its bosom.
"How knewest thou I was here?" Mizraim salaamed. "A watch was set upon thee this morning early. The watcher was of my slaves. He brought the word to me that thou wast here now. A watcher also was set upon thee, Excellency" he turned to David. "He also was of my slaves. Word was delivered to his Highness that thou" he turned to Nahoum again "wast in thy palace, and Achmet Pasha went thither.
Mahommed Hassan crept in, a malicious grin on his face. Danger and conflict were as meat and drink to him. "Effendi, God hath given thee a wasp's sting to thy tongue. It is well. Nahoum Pasha hath Mizraim: the Saadat hath thee and me." "There's the Effendina," said Lacey reflectively. "Thou saidst thou would 'square' him, effendi." "I say a lot," answered Lacey rather ruefully.
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