"Bismillah! Who shall read the meaning of
it? Why has he not already killed?"
"Nahoum would choose his own time--after he has saved his life by the
white carrion. Kaid will give him his life if the Inglesi asks. The
Inglesi, he is mad. If he were not mad, he would see to it that Nahoum
was now drying his bones in the sands."
"What each has failed to do for the other shall be done for them,"
answered Achmet, a hateful leer on his immobile features. "To-night many
things shall be made right. To-morrow there will be places empty and
places filled. Egypt shall begin again to-morrow."
"Kaid?"
Achmet stopped smoking for a moment. "When the khamsin comes, when the
camels stampede, and the children of the storm fall upon the caravan, can
it be foretold in what way Fate shall do her work? So but the end be the
same--malaish! We shall be content tomorrow."
Now he turned and looked at his companion as though his mind had chanced
on a discovery. "To him who first brings word to a prince who inherits,
that the reigning prince is dead, belong honour and place," he said.
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