ime he endeavoured
to send letters to inform the English consuls at Damascus, Beyrout, and
Alexandria of his unfortunate situation. Hafiz Bey did not venture to
refuse his request; but a new difficulty now occurred. Sheikh Salem had
assembled a considerable force in the mountains which bound the plain
extending from Gaza, to Jaffa, and kept the garrison of Gaza in such a
state of alarm, that Hafiz Bey declined sending away any courier until he
should hear that Ibrahim Pasha had reinforced the garrisons of Jerusalem
and Jaffa.

It was now evident that Sidney's anxiety was injuring his health, and his
condition excited the compassion of Rodoan Aga, who visited him every
evening to console him. Finding his attempts to persuade Sidney to settle
at Gaza vain, he one evening addressed him thus:--

"Thou art ill, and eager to quit us, Seid Aga?"

"If I fly to the desert, and take the lance of a Bedouwee, I will remain
no longer at Gaza," was the reply.

"Thou desirest to return to England?

"It is the country of my fathers--if I can escape from this spot, I will
hasten thither."

"Dost thou not see, O Seid Aga! that Hafiz Bey feareth to let thee depart?
He feareth that dog of a usurer, the consul from Sham, who placeth the
arms of England over his door, and lendeth money under their shadow at
eighteen per cent, and acts as a spy for the great Pasha."

"Hafiz may lose his head, and the usurer his money-bags, in the storm that
is now gathering," said Sidney in his wrath.

"Thou hast said it," quoth Rodoan Aga with much satisfaction. "NOW will I
reveal to thee how thou canst escape in spite of the Bey and the usurer,
and thou wilt aid us in England."

Sidney now listened eagerly to the plan of escape proposed by Rodoan. It
was, to suggest that Sidney should send a letter to Sheikh Salem,
conjuring him to assist in furthering his escape from Gaza, in order that
he might repair to Latakich to embark in the fire-ship of the Nemtsch.
"Doubt not," added the Aga, "that Salem will soon find means to accomplish
thy wish. I will send one for thy letter in an hour." Saying this, Rodoan
rose and shuffled out of the room.

It required no great stretch of sagacity for Sidney to perceive that the
Turkish party at Gaza now expected to derive some advantage from his
presence in England, and for that reason they favoured his escape. It was
not his business to point out to them the errors of their intriguing
policy, so he sat down to p