"If I had influence I would advise him to reconcile you to Prince Kaid," she said quietly, then turned to David with an appeal in her eyes. David stood up. "I will do what I can," he said. "If thee means as well by Egypt as I mean by thee, all may be well for all." "Saadat! Saadat!" said Nahoum, with show of assumed feeling, and made salutation. Then to Hylda, making lower salutation still, he said: "Thou hast lifted from my neck the yoke. Thou hast saved me from the shadow and the dust. I am thy slave." His eyes were like a child's, wide and confiding. He turned towards the door, and was about to open it, when there came a knocking, and he stepped back. Hylda drew down her veil. David opened the door cautiously and admitted Mizraim the Chief Eunuch. Mizraim's eyes searched the room, and found Nahoum. "Pasha," he said to Nahoum, "may thy bones never return to dust, nor the light of thine eyes darken! There is danger." Nahoum nodded, but did not speak. "Shall I speak, then?" He paused and made low salutation to David, saying, "Excellency, I am thine ox to be slain." "Speak, son of the flowering oak," said Nahoum, with a sneer in his voice. "What blessing dost thou bring?" "The Effendina has sent for thee." Nahoum's eyes flashed. "By thee, lion of Abdin?" The lean, ghastly being smiled. "He has sent a company of soldiers and Achmet Pasha." "Achmet! Is it so? They are here, Mizraim, watcher of the morning?" "They are at thy palace--I am here, light of Egypt." "How knewest thou I was here?" Mizraim salaamed. "A watch was set upon thee this morning early. The watcher was of my slaves. He brought the word to me that thou wast here now. A watcher also was set upon thee, Excellency"--he turned to David. "He also was of my slaves. Word was delivered to his Highness that thou" --he turned to Nahoum again--"wast in thy palace, and Achmet Pasha went thither. He found thee not. Now the city is full of watchers, and Achmet goes from bazaar to bazaar, from house to house which thou was wont to frequent--and thou art here." "What wouldst thou have me do, Mizraim?" "Thou art here; is it the house of a friend or a foe?" Nahoum did not answer. His eyes were fixed in thought upon the floor, but he was smiling. He seemed without fear. "But if this be the house of a friend, is he safe here?" asked David. "For this night, it may be," answered Mizraim, "till other watchers be set, who are no slaves of mine. Tonight, here, of all places in Cairo, he is safe; for who could look to find him where thou art who hast taken from him his place and office, Excellency--on whom the stars shine for ever! But in another day, if my lord Nahoum be not forgiven by the Effendina, a hundred watchers will pierce the darkest corner of the bazaar, the smallest room in Cairo."