Narayan Singh, who, nevertheless, is not without his own degree of
subtlety.




CHAPTER IV

"I call this awful!"


Sahib, in accordance with instructions I proceeded to Christian Street
to the place you spoke of, where I found Yussuf Dakmar drinking coffee
and smoking in company with these men and others. They did not see me in
the beginning, because I entered by the door of a house threescore and
five paces farther down the street; and having by that means gained the
roof I descended to a gallery built of stone above one end of the
coffee-shop, and there lay concealed among evil-smelling bags.

"They conversed in Arabic; and presently when other men had entered,
some of whose names I overheard and wrote down on this slip of paper,
Yussuf Dakmar locked the outer door, turning the great key twice and
setting a chain in place as well. Then he stood on a red stool having
four short legs, with his back to the door that he had locked, and spoke
in the manner of one who stirs a multitude, gesticulating greatly.

"The argument he made was thus: He said that Jerusalem is a holy city,
and Palestine a holy land; and that promises are all the more sacred if
given in connection with religious matters; whereat they all applauded
greatly. Nevertheless, a little later on he mocked at all religion, and