America understands little or nothing of our politics. America's
money--America's schools and hospitals--America's war munitions--
and then good-bye. I am willing to use all means--all methods to
the one end--Arabia for the Arabs. After that I am willing to
retire into oblivion."

Nevertheless, ben Nazir did not convince me that he was an
altruist who had no private ends to serve. There was an
avaricious gleam in ben Nazir's eyes.




Chapter Five

"D'you mind if I use You?"

For all his care to seem hospitable before any other
consideration, ben Nazir looked ill at ease. He led me down
again to a dining-room hung with spears, shields, scimitars and
ancient pistols, but furnished otherwise like an instalment-plan
apartment. He watched while a man set food before me. It seemed
that Anazeh had gone away somewhere to eat with his men.

Ben Nazir's restlessness became so obvious that I asked at last
whether I was not detaining him. He jumped at the opening. With
profound apologies he asked me to excuse him for the remainder of
the afternoon.

"You see," he explained, "I came from Damascus to Jerusalem, so I