"
"I must go," said Feversham, and he lifted himself up from the ground.
"I must go this morning," and since he spoke with a raised voice and a
manner of excitement, Trench whispered to him:--
"Hush. There are many prisoners here, and among them many tale-bearers."
Feversham sank back on to the ground as much from weakness as in
obedience to Trench's warning.
"But they cannot understand what we say," he objected in a voice from
which the excitement had suddenly gone.
"They can see that we talk together and earnestly. Idris would know of
it within the hour, the Khalifa before sunset. There would be heavier
fetters and the courbatch if we spoke at all. Lie still. You are weak,
and I too am very tired. We will sleep, and later in the day we will go
together down to the Nile."
Trench lay down beside Feversham and in a moment was asleep. Feversham
watched him, and saw, now that his features were relaxed, the marks of
those three years very plainly in his face. It was towards noon before
he awoke.
"There is no one to bring you food?" he asked, and Feversham answered:--
"Yes. A boy should come. He should bring news as well."
They waited until the gate of the zareeba was opened and the friends or
wives of the prisoners entered.
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