The Weavers: a tale of England and Egypt of fifty years ago - Volume 2Parker, Gilbert
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The Weavers: a tale of England and Egypt of fifty years ago - Volume 2
Parker, Gilbert
Society of Friends -- Fiction
It was the room through which David had come with Kaid. He took her
hand. "Come quickly. I know the way. It is here," he said, pointing to
the panel-door by which he had entered.
Holding her hand still, as though she were a child, he led her quickly
from the room, and shut the panel behind them. As they passed through,
a hand drew aside the curtains on the other side of the room which they
were leaving.
Presently the face of Nahoum Pasha followed the hand. A swift glance to
the floor, then he ran forward, stooped down, and laid a hand on his
brother's breast. The slight wound on the forehead answered his rapid
scrutiny. He realised the situation as plainly as if it had been written
down for him--he knew his brother well.
Noiselessly he moved forward and touched the spring of the door through
which the two had gone. It yielded, and he passed through, closed the
door again and stealthily listened, then stole a look into the farther
chamber. It was empty. He heard the outer doors close. For a moment he
listened, then went forward and passed through into the hall. Softly
turning the handle of the big wooden doors which faced him, he opened
them an inch or so, and listened. He could hear swiftly retreating
footsteps. Presently he heard the faint noise of a gate shutting. He
nodded his head, and was about to close the doors and turn away, when his
quick ear detected footsteps again in the garden. Some one--the man,
of course--was returning.
"May fire burn his eyes for ever! He would talk with Kald, then go again
among them all, and so pass out unsuspected and safe. For who but I--who
but I could say he did it? And I--what is my proof? Only the words
which I speak."
A scornful, fateful smile passed over his face. "'Hast thou never killed
a man?' said Kaid. 'Never,' said he--'by the goodness of God, never!'
The voice of Him of Galilee, the hand of Cain, the craft of Jael. But
God is with the patient."
He went hastily and noiselessly-his footfall was light for so heavy a
man-through the large room to the farther side from that by which David
and Kaid had first entered. Drawing behind a clump of palms near a door
opening to a passage leading to Mizraim's quarters, he waited. He saw
David enter quickly, yet without any air of secrecy, and pass into the
little room where Kaid had left him.
For a long time there was silence.
The reasons were clear in Nahoum's mind why he should not act yet. A new
factor had changed the equation which had presented itself a short half
hour ago.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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