The Tragedy of the Korosko

he kept for his home-staying sister. But the cigars of Colonel Cochrane and of Cecil Brown were still twinkling in the far corner of the deck, and t

his direction. "This is the place for an antidote. I se

a nocturne in blue and silver might be suggested by that moon rising above the desert. There is a movement in one of Mendelssohn's songs which seems to embody it all- a sense of va

s force that the Atlantic does upon a cold, dark, winter day. Perhaps it is the knowledge that we are right there on

forty miles to the south of us. Beyond that are sixty miles of very wild country before you would co

on this side

Abousir Rock has been forbidden for the

t them from coming

" said Cecil Brown,

n the return. They might find it hard to get back if their camels were spent, and the Halfa garrison wit

the same motives as other people. Many of them are anxious to meet death, and all of them are absolute, uncompromising beli

eems from what I have heard to be some difference of opinion about it. Monsieur F

British officers being withdrawn, the Dervishes would be upon the Mediterranean. Where would the civilisation of Egypt be? Where would the hundr

y, laughing, "surely you don't mean

all representations of the human features are against the letter of the Koran. A statue is always an irreligious object in their eyes. What do these fellows care for the sentiment of Europe? T

u English are holding them out, what I'm never done asking is, what reason have you for spending all these millions of dollars and the lives of so

. There is never a mad priest or a witch doctor, or a firebrand of any sort on this planet, who does not report his appearance by sniping the nearest British officer. One tires of it at last. If a Kurd breaks loose in Asia Minor, the world wants to know why Great Britain does not keep him in order. If there

nterests and diplomacy and all that there lies a great guiding force-a Providence, in fact-which is for ever getting the best out of each nation and using it for the good of the whole. When a nation ceases to respond, it is time that she went into hospital for a few centuries, like Spain o

nodded a

be found in any other people. Now, these are the two qualities which are needed for directing a weaker race. You can't help them by abstract thought or by graceful art, but only by that moral sense which will hold the scales of Justice even, and keep itself free from every taint of corruption. That is how we rule Indi

gly wh

leased to hear you, Col

ur Senate and make you

n Rela

are many races which appear to be so incapable of improvement that we can never hope to get a good Government out of them. What is to be done, then? The former device of Providence in such a case was extermination by some more virile stock- an Attila or a Tamerlane pruned off the weaker branch. Now, we have a m

interference?" objected the American. "A predatory country c

landing to save the city from destruction. The landing caused an extension of operations-and here we are, with the country upon our hands. At the time of trouble we begged and implored the French, or any one else, to come and help us to put the thing to rights, but they all deserted us when there was work to be done, although they are ready enough to scold and to impede us now. When we tried to get out of it, up came this wild Dervish movement, and we had to sit tighter than ever. We never wanted the task; but, now t

d thoughtfully

s old chairs littered about the stoop, and the shingles are loose, and the garden runs wild; but I don't know that

e on fire?" as

d, and rose from

aid he. "I'm beginning to realise that modern Egypt is every bit as interesting

lishmen ros

in, and never leave a trace among these successive races who have held the country, for it is not an Anglo-Saxon custom to write their deeds upon rocks. I dare say that the remains o

and the others were joining in with chaff and advice. Then the hubbub died away, the party from above came down the ladder, there were "good-nights," the shutting of doors, and the little steamer lay silent, dark, and motionless in the s