The sleepers stirred around
him and waked and rose. The little camp became alive. As the traveller
neared the fresh-made fire, David saw that it was Lacey. He went eagerly
to meet him.
"Thee has news," he said. "I see it is so." He held Lacey's hand in his.
"Say, you are going on that expedition, Saadat. You wanted money. Will a
quarter of a million do?" David's eyes caught fire.
From the monastery there came the voices of the monks:
"O be joyful in the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with
gladness, and come before His presence with a song."
CHAPTER XXXIII
THE DARK INDENTURE
Nahoum had forgotten one very important thing: that what affected David
as a Christian in Egypt would tell equally against himself. If, in his
ill-health and dejection, Kaid drank deep of the cup of Mahomet, the red
eyes of fanaticism would be turned upon the Armenian, as upon the
European Christian. He had forgotten it for the moment, but when, coming
into Kaid's Palace, a little knot of loiterers spat upon the ground and
snarled, "Infidel--Nazarene!" with contempt and hatred, the significance
of the position came home to him.
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