r, "There is
no refuge from God but God Himself," and he found himself blindly
wondering, even as he felt Kaid's hand upon his beard and listened to
the honeyed words, what manner of death was now preparing for him, and
what death of his own contriving should intervene. Escape, he knew,
there was none, if his death was determined on; for spies were
everywhere, and slaves in the pay of Kaid were everywhere, and such as
were not could be bought or compelled, even if he took refuge in the
house of a foreign consul. The lean, invisible, ghastly arm of death
could find him, if Kaid willed, though he delved in the bowels of the
Cairene earth, or climbed to an eagle's eyrie in the Libyan Hills.
Whether it was diamond-dust or Achmet's thin thong that stopped the
breath, it mattered not; it was sure. Yet he was not of the breed to
tremble under the descending sword, and he had long accustomed himself
to the chance of "sudden demise." It had been chief among the chances he
had taken when he entered the high and perilous service of Kaid. Now,
as he felt the secret joy of these dark spirits surrounding him--Achmet,
and High Pasha, who kept saying beneath his breath in thankfulness
that it was not his turn, Praise be to God!--as he, felt their secret
self-gratulations, and their evil joy over his prospective downfall,
he settled himself steadily, made a low salutation to Kaid, and calmly
awaited further speech. It came soon enough.

"It is written upon a cucumber leaf--does not the world read it?--that
Nahoum Pasha's form shall cast a longer shadow than the trees; so that
every man in Egypt shall, thinking on him, be as covetous as Ashaah, who
knew but one thing more covetous than himself--the sheep that mistook
the rainbow for a rope of hay, and, jumping for it, broke his neck."

Kaid laughed softly at his own words.

With his eye meeting Kaid's again, after a low salaam, Nahoum made
answer:

"I would that the lance of my fame might sheathe itself in the breasts
of thy enemies, Effendina."

"Thy tongue does that office well," was the reply. Once more Kaid laid
a gentle hand upon Nahoum's beard. Then, with a gesture towards the
consuls and Europeans, he said to them in French: "If I might but beg
your presence for yet a little time!" Then he turned and walked away. He
left by a door leading to his own apartments.

When he had gone, Nahoum swung slowly round and faced the agitated
groups.

"He who sleeps with one eye open se