accustomed to the torment of Egyptian flies, but these
particular flies belonged to the order of things whose deeds, being
evil, loved darkness. They covered his face and hands the very moment
after he had shaken them off. Do what he would, he could not keep them
away from the corners of his mouth or from going up his nostrils.

"Abdul," he said, "this gives one a new vision of hell. Look at those
disgusting children!" He pointed to the groups of pale mites, with
yellow skins and frail bodies, who were paying like puppies in the
garbage of the narrow pathway; their faces were covered with large
black house-flies--they hung in clusters from their eyes and ears and
from the corners of their mouths.

"_Aiwah_, Effendi, but these people will live in no other surroundings.
They prefer this darkness, this unwholesome atmosphere."

"And these awful flies?"

"_Aiwah_, Effendi. They seldom go up to see the sky; perhaps they have
never sung to the moon."

"To every bird his nest is home, Abdul."

"_Aiwah_, Effendi. But I will take you to the _Omdeh's_ house--we
shall soon be out of this."

"Is his house amongst these hovels?" Michael pointed to one
particularly dark cavern. Unlike the ordinary desert peoples, the
women were veiled; only their dark eyes were visible to the stranger
whom they flocked to see. They showed great surprise when Michael
spoke to one of the men in fluent Arabic.

At Michael's suggestion that the _Omdeh's_ house would be like one of
the cave-houses, Abdul had flung back his head. His smile was
scornful; a little annoyance was perceptible in his voice.

"_La_, Effendi. The _Omdeh's_ house is like a bower in paradise. The
Effendi will enjoy a cup of caravan-tea and a long rest in the cool
orchard, where water flows and caged birds sing."

"He has an orchard in a cavern like this!" Michael steadied himself by
catching hold of Abdul's staff; he had almost fallen over a baby.

"_Aiwah_, Effendi. The _Omdeh_ does not live in the rocks, like the
bats. His house is just outside the village. He is very rich--he owns
many camels and much cotton and he has a date-farm. He is entitled to
three wives."

"Very well, Abdul. I put myself in your hands." Michael sighed.
"This village makes me feel rather sick--the whole thing is too
horrible, too sad--God's blue sky just up above, and His sweet, clean
desert sand, and down here this living death, these idle, dirty women,
these sickly, fly-