and one of his steamers sent down the cataract at Assouan. A knock-down
blow for Claridge Pasha, eh? That's all you thought of, wasn't it? And
it doesn't matter to you that the cotton-mills made thousands better off,
and started new industries in Egypt. No, it only matters to you that
Claridge Pasha loses half his fortune, and that you think his feet are
in the quicksands, and 'll be sucked in, to make an Egyptian holiday.
Anything to discredit him here, eh? I'm not sure what else you know; but
I'll find out, my noble pasha, and if you've had your hand in it--but no,
you ain't game-cock enough for that! But if you were, if you had a hand
in the making of your funny little story, there's a nutcracker that 'd
break the shell of that joke--"

He turned round quickly, seeing a shadow and hearing a movement. Nahoum
was but a few feet away. There was a bland smile on his face, a look of
innocence in his magnificent blue eye. As he met Lacey's look, the smile
left his lips, a grave sympathy appeared to possess them, and he spoke
softly:

"I know the thing that burns thy heart, effendi, to whom be the flowers
of hope and the fruits of merit. It is even so, a great blow has fallen.
Two hours since I heard. I went at once to see Claridge Pasha, but found
him not. Does he know, think you?" he added sadly.

"May your heart never be harder than it is, pasha, and when I left the
Saadat an hour ago, he did not know. His messenger hadn't a steamer like
Higli Pasha there. But he was coming to see you; and that's why I'm
here. I've been brushing the flies off this sore on the hump of Egypt
while waiting." He glanced with disdain at Higli.

A smile rose like liquid in the eye of Nahoum and subsided, then he