Affair in Araby

t will b

could judge whether he was friendly to their cause or not. Mabel had wired to her friend, and was met at the station, so we had nothing to worry over for the present on her score. Our own troubles began when we reached the only hotel and found i

n of the price to either party in t

the front-door step, and although the whole place had been lime-washed, dirt from all ove

ay, where Grim might have been able to procure beds for the whole party; but I noticed no less than five men who followed us up from the station and seemed to be keeping a watchful eye on Yus

o rent an outhouse for the night-a cellar-the roof, but there was nothi

ity, accompanied, however, by a peculiar display of yellow teeth and more of the jaundiced whites of his eyes

you. You and he could each have a bed, of course, but it seems to me that your servants look wearier than you do. I suggest then that you take one bed, effen

g. In fact, he acted courteously and with considerable evidence of breeding, merely requesting my permission to lock the big closet where he kept his personal belongings and to take the key away with him. Even

built of olive wood sunk into a deep recess. The thing was about eight feet wide and reached to the ceiling; you couldn't tell the depth becau

to him. Without word or sign from us he threw his kit on the floor, unrolled his blankets, removed his boots, curled up on the sofa, and if he didn't go to sleep at once, gave such a

rom me, flourished it in Yussuf Dakmar's face, and concealed it carefully in another. Then a new humorous notion occurred to him. He pulled it out again, fold

teal it he will have to murder you instead of me, and I would rather sleep than die. But you must give it back at dawn, because the prayers are i

living by taking advantage of tolerance and good nature. You've all seen the type. It's commones

cepted a servant's money to keep safe for him scores of times. He believed me to be a drunkard, who had been thoroughly doped that day and wou

ying his part for all it's worth, became devoutly religious and made a tremendous fuss because ham was put on the table. He accused the proprietor of using pig's fat to smear all the cooking utensils, demanded to see

the day's drink; Grim and Jeremy, aching for sleep but refusing like good artists to neglect a detail of their part, went to another table and played backgammon, betting quarrelsomely; and at last one of the five men walked over

lankets that I had to look twice in the dim light. I mentioned that fact to Grim who merely smiled as he got between the sheets. Then I went down to the street to get

rn when Narayan Singh came out an

sahib know where I can find a druggist's open at

air of a tourist showing off his knowledge, and we strode al

, and they all went into a room four doors beyond the sahib's. The room next beyond that one is occupied by an officer sahib, who fought at El-Arish alongside my battalion. Between him and me is a certain

Why not come and se

ake of El-Arish, let me in q

ased to be disturbed by a Sikh at

, 'am I a badmas

s you changed your morals

am still in

aid he. 'W

I, and he whistled softly. 'Is there not a roof

sahib, and return th

dog at bay. The other five were angry with him. They were accusing him of playing false. They swore that a great sum could be had for that letter, which they should share between them. Said a voice I did not recognize: 'If the French will pay one price they will pay another; what does money matter to them, if they can make out a case against Feisul? Will they not have Syria? The thing is simple as twice

et him take a back seat unless he is willing to share

r flew into a great rage and call

'Who are ye to clap your fat noses on the scent I found and tell me the how and whither of it? It may be that I can get that letter tonight. Surely I can get it bet

ye are jackals, kites and vultures all in one with the skill of chemists added, ye can never extract secret knowledge from a dead man's brain.

Yussuf Dakmar. Thieves of that sort know one another, and trust none, and it is all a lie, sahib, about there bei

ho is leader. He has a thin voice like a eu

tching with his nails on the closet door. The rest will be simple. There are four in this besides us five; so if we count Yussuf Dakmar that makes ten who share the reward. Shall Yussuf Dakmar grow fat, while nine of us starve? I think not! Let him get the letter, and give it

y suck enough and then fall off, whereas they would take all or kill. They made him understand it, taking a great oath together

, not with any effort at good gra

arly in the night for fear that sleep may otherwise get the better of him, and the sahib will do well to be keenly alert from the first. I shall be asleep on that couch outsid

ets all night?" said I.

er, for every night thief and beggar waiting for the dawn would give attention to such a big man as you and would report your movements. All six would come on you in the dark and would kill you surely.

aid I, "and we'll make

fend ourselves a

e this matter through tonight between four walls. Only remember, sahib, that though a

the Syrian's absence to open Grim's valise, remove the bottle of doped whisky and set it on the table close to the window beside the two bott