bring
him within reach of his friend's hand, which he forthwith seized and
carried to his lips, cringing low and moaning:

"O my horror! O my bitter shame! For the love of Allah, speak for me
with his noble Highness! Thou knowest how I always loved thee, and
stood thy friend when others scoffed at thee. Persuade thy Emir to
forgive me and keep silence, or I shall lose my employment, and my wife
and little ones will come to want!"

Iskender's heart leapt up in thanks to Allah for thus abasing one who
had conspired against him. He pressed the suppliant's hand in both his
own.

"Now Allah witness how I always loved thee!" he murmured with a gaze of
fond compassion. "It hurt my soul to see thee siding with my enemies,
scheming to supplant me in the favour of my dear lord."

"By Allah, thy thoughts wrong me!" cried Elias with wild earnestness.
"Ask Yuhanna, ask Khalil! My efforts were against them all, on thy
behalf. How canst thou think such harm of one who loves thee?"

The speaker burst into a passion of tears.

"Weep not, O my dear!" Iskender murmured soothingly. "In sh' Allah,
all may yet be well, though I will not disguise from thee that my lord
is angry."

"Obtain but a hearing for me; that is all I ask. My tears shall wash
his feet; my groans, my heartfelt penitence will surely move him."

"Thou knowest that I will do all in my power to save thee. But, alas!
my influence is not boundless. By naming thy name in his presence, and
seeming anxious to excuse thy fault, I fear to draw a measure of his
Honour's wrath upon myself. Last evening he was full of rage against
thee, vowing to see thee a beggar in the gate of the town. And he has
sworn at the first opportunity to make complaint of thy behaviour to
the English consul."

At mention of the consul Elias collapsed utterly. He sank down on the
marble pavement, huddled up in his cloak, his chin upon his breast,
moaning like one insensible through stress of pain. Complaint to the
consul meant his life-long ruin as a dragoman, since he depended on the
English for his daily bread.

At length he cried:

"Thou must, thou shalt, befriend me! I adjure thee by Him who took our
flesh upon Him, by the Holy Cross! Allah will reward thee, and I
myself will be thy slave till death."

Pouncing once more upon Iskender's hand, he pressed two large coins
down upon the open palm.

"What is this, O my soul?" cried the youth in amazement, after looking
to