He will tell you
at great length of the peril of your soul and of the only means of
averting it, and he will wind up with a few significant sentences about
his starving family. If you come to the aid of his starving family and
bid him keep for himself fifteen dollars out of the amount he took from
you, you may get permission to sleep in the zareeba outside the prison.
Be content with that for a night or two. Then he will come to you again,
and again you will assist his starving family, and this time you will
ask for permission for me to sleep in the open too. Come! There's Idris
shepherding us home."
It fell out as Trench had predicted. Idris read Feversham an abnormally
long lecture that afternoon. Feversham learned that now God loved him;
and how Hicks Pasha's army had been destroyed. The holy angels had done
that, not a single shot was fired, not a single spear thrown by the
Mahdi's soldiers. The spears flew from their hands by the angels'
guidance and pierced the unbelievers. Feversham heard for the first
time of a most convenient spirit, Nebbi Khiddr, who was the Khalifa's
eyes and ears and reported to him all that went on in the gaol. It was
pointed out to Feversham that if Nebbi Khiddr reported against him, he
would have heavier shackles riveted upon his feet, and many unpleasant
things would happen.
Pages:
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415