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"For backsheesh, thy turban full of gold." Mizraim's eyes glittered-the dull black shine of a mongrel terrier's. He caught the sleeve of Nahoum's coat and kissed it, then kissed his hand. Thus was their bargain made over the dead body; and Mizraim had an almost superstitious reverence for the fulfilment of a bond, the one virtue rarely found in the Oriental.
A second Round Robin was drafted to the Englishman, beginning: "O Scoffer," and ending with a selection of curses from the Rites of Mizraim and Memphis and the Commination of Jugana, who was a "fifth-rounder," upon whose name an upstart "third-rounder" once traded. A papal excommunication is a billet-doux compared to the Commination of Jugana.
This law, like all others of divine origin like that, for instance, which binds the earth to the sun was perfected in the beginning by its Author. Such, my brothers, was the religion of the first family; such was the religion of our father Mizraim, who could not have been blind to the formula of creation, nowhere so discernible as in the first faith and the earliest worship.
There is no such thickly-populated land as this elsewhere. It is extensive too and abundant in all good things. From New Mizraim unto Old Mizraim is a distance of two parasangs. The latter is in ruins, and the place where walls and houses stood can be seen to the present day. The store-houses also of Joseph of blessed memory are to be found in great numbers in many places.
How piously the Pharoahs might have quoted the prophecy "Thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and they shall afflict there four hundred years." And then, what saints were those that crucified the Lord of glory! Whereas Africa was peopled from Egypt and Ethiopia, and they were settled by Mizraim and Cush.
The face of Mizraim was ugly with the unnatural cruelty of an unnatural man. "Is the time at hand, saadat el basha?" "You hate Selamlik Pasha?" "As the lion the jackal." Dicky would have laughed in scorn if he might have dared this being to class himself with lions! But the time was not fit for laughter. "And the son of Selamlik Pasha, the vile Mustapha Bey?" he asked.
"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.
Here resides the Emir al Muminin, a descendant of Abu Talib. Twice in the year the Egyptian monarch goes forth, once on the occasion of the great festival, and again when the river Nile rises. Zoan is surrounded by a wall, but Mizraim has no wall, for the river encompasses it on one side. It is a great city, and it has market-places as well as inns in great number.
"It is not my way to hide, but when the storm comes it is well to shelter." Salaaming low, Mizraim withdrew, his last glance being thrown towards Hylda, who met his look with a repugnance which made her face rigid. She rose and put on her gloves. Nahoum rose also, and stood watching her respectfully. "Thee will go?" asked David, with a movement towards her. She inclined her head.
It would much have astonished him if Nahoum had not shown a gaping darkness somewhere in his tale, and he felt for the key to the mystery. "And he who lies dead, excellency?" "My brother." "Foorgat Bey!" "Even he, Mizraim. He lured the girl here a mad man ever. The other madman was in the next room. He struck come, and thou shalt see."
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