"I can't quite catch what they are saying," said Mr. Groombride.
"They saying they very much pleased to see you, Sar," Adbul interpreted.
"Then I do think they might have sent a deputation to the steamer; but I suppose they were frightened of the officials.
Tell them not to be frightened, Abdul."
"He says you are not to be frightened," Abdul explained. A child here sputtered with laughter. "Refrain from mirth," Farag cried.
"The afflicted of God is the guest of The Excellency Our Governor. We are responsible for every hair of his head.""He has none," a voice spoke. "He has the white and the shining mange.""Now tell them what I have come for, Abdul, and please keep the umbrella well up. I think I shall reserve myself for my little vernacular speech at the end.""Approach! Look! Listen!" Abdul chanted. "The afflicted of God will now make sport. Presently he will speak in your tongue, and will consume you with mirth. I have been his servant for three weeks. I will tell you about his undergarments and his perfumes for his head."He told them at length.
"And didst thou take any of his perfume bottles?" said Farag at the end.
"I am his servant. I took two," Abdul replied.
"Ask him," said Farag's uncle, "what he knows about our land-titles. Ye young men are all alike." He waved a pamphlet.
Mr. Groombride smiled to see how the seed sown in London had borne fruit by Gihon. Lo! All the seniors held copies of the pamphlet.
"He knows less than a buffalo. He told me on the steamer that he was driven out of his own land by Demah-Kerazi which is a devil inhabiting crowds and assemblies," said Abdul.
"Allah between us and evil!" a woman cackled from the darkness of a hut. "Come in, children, he may have the Evil Eye.""No, my aunt," said Farag. "No afflicted of God has an evil eye.
Wait till ye hear his mirth-provoking speech which he will deliver. I have heard it twice from Abdul.""They seem very quick to grasp the point. How far have you got, Abdul?""All about the beatings, sar. They are highly interested.""Don't forget about the local self-government, and please hold the umbrella over me. It is hopeless to destroy unless one first builds up.""He may not have the Evil Eye," Farag's uncle grunted, "but his devil led him too certainly to question my land-title. Ask him whether he still doubts my land-title?""Or mine, or mine?" cried the elders.
"What odds? He is an afflicted of God," Farag called. "Remember the tale I told you.""Yes, but he is an Englishman, and doubtless of influence, or Our Excellency would not entertain him. Bid the down-country jackass ask him.""Sar," said Abdul, "these people, much fearing they may be turned out of their land in consequence of your remarks. Therefore they ask you to make promise no bad consequences following your visit."Mr. Groombride held his breath and turned purple. Then he stamped his foot.
"Tell them," he cried, "that if a hair of any one of their heads is touched by any official on any account whatever, all England shall ring with it. Good God! What callous oppression! The dark places of the earth are full of cruelty." He wiped his face, and throwing out his arms cried: "Tell them, oh! tell the poor, serfs not to be afraid of me. Tell them I come to redress their wrongs--not, heaven knows, to add to their burden."The long-drawn gurgle of the practised public speaker pleased them much.
"That is how the new water-tap runs out in the kennel," said Farag. "The Excellency Our Governor entertains him that he may make sport. Make him say the mirth-moving speech.""What did he say about my land-titles?" Farag's uncle was not to be turned.
"He says," Farag interpreted, "that he desires, nothing better than that you should live on your lands in peace. He talks as though he believed himself to be Governor.""Well. We here are all witnesses to what he has said. Now go forward with the sport." Farag's uncle smoothed his garments.
"How diversely hath Allah made His creatures! On one He bestows strength to slay Emirs; another He causes to go mad and wander in the sun, like the afflicted sons of Melik-meid.""Yes, and to emit spray from the mouth, as the Inspector told us.
