Europe should know, and Egypt also should know. I have been thy right
hand, Effendina; I will not be thy old shoe, to be cast aside at thy
will."

In all the days of his life David had never flamed out as he did now.
Passionate as his words were, his manner was strangely quiet, but his
white and glistening face and his burning eyes showed how deep was his
anger.

As he spoke, Kaid sank upon the divan. Never had he been challenged so.
With his own people he had ever been used to cringing and abasement, and
he had played the tyrant, and struck hard and cruelly, and he had been
feared; but here, behind David's courteous attitude, there was a scathing
arraignment of his conduct which took no count of consequence. In other
circumstances his vanity would have shrunk under this whip of words, but
his native reason and his quick humour would have justified David. In
this black distemper possessing him, however, only outraged egotism
prevailed. His hands clenched and unclenched, his lips were drawn back
on his teeth in rage.

When David had finished, Kaid suddenly got to his feet and took a step
forward with a malediction, but a faintness seized him and he staggered
back. When he raised his head again David was gone.




CHAPTER XXX

LACEY MOVES