"She thinks I'm still a 'slave-driver,' as she calls it--women are so
innocent. You did your part, as well as could be expected, I'm bound to
say. I only wish I wasn't so much trouble to you. I owe you a lot,
Dicky Pasha--everything! You got me the golden shillings to start with;
you had faith in me; you opened the way to fortune, to the thing that's
more than fortune--to success."

"I'm not altogether proud of you. You've messed things to-day."

"I'll set them right to-morrow--with your help. Ismail is going a bit
large this time."

"He is an Oriental. A life or two--think of Sadik Pasha. Your men--"

"Well? You think he'd do it--think he'd dare to do it?"

"Suppose they disappeared? Who could prove that Ismail did it? And if
it could be proved--they're his own subjects, and the Nile is near! Who
can say him nay?"

"I fancy you could--and I would."

"I can do something. I've done a little in my day; but my day, like
Ismail's, is declining. They are his subjects, and he needs money, and
he puts a price on their heads--that's about the size of it. Question
How much will you have to pay? How much have you in Cairo at the bank?"

"Only about ten thousand pounds."

"He'd take your draft on England, but he'll have that ten thousand