"That is all very well," I said; "but let even a young man do the
best he can, and he will not get from Jerusalem to Jaffa in less
than twelve hours. Your uncle is not a young man, and could not
possibly do the journey under two days."

"But he will send. He will not mind what money he spends."

"And if he does send, take off your hat to his messengers, and bid
them carry your complaints back. You are not a felon whom he can
arrest."

"No, he cannot arrest me; but, ah! you do not understand;" and then
he sat up on the bed, and seemed as though he were going to wring
his hands in despair.

I waited for some half hour in his room, thinking that he would tell
me this story of his. If he required that I should give him my aid
in the presence either of his uncle or of his uncle's myrmidons, I
must at any rate know what was likely to be the dispute between
them. But as he said nothing I suggested that he should stroll out
with me among the orange-groves by which the town is surrounded. In
answer to this he looked up piteously into my face as though begging
me to be merciful to him. "You are strong," said he, "and cannot
understand what it is to feel fatigue as I do." And yet he had
declared on commencing his journey that he would not be found to
complain? Nor had he complained by a single word till after that
encounter with his uncle. Nay, he had borne up well till this news
had reached us of the boat being late. I felt convinced that if the
boat were at this moment lying in the harbour all that appearance of