Fidgety And Priggishly Neat, Nothing Annoyed Him So Much
As A Moment’S Delay Or An Article Out Of Place,
A rag removed from his
water-gugglet, or a cooking-pot imperfectly free from soot; and I
judged his avarice
By observing that he made a point of picking up and
eating the grains scattered from our pomegranates, exclaiming that the
heavenly seed (located there by Arab superstition) might be one of
those so wantonly wasted.
Ali bin Ya Sin, returning to his native city, had not been happy in his
choice of a companion this time. The other occupant of the handsome
Shugduf was an ignoble-faced Egyptian from Al-Madinah. This ill-suited
pair clave together for awhile, but at Al-Suwayrkiyah some dispute
about a copper coin made them permanent foes. With threats and abuse
such as none but an Egyptian could tamely hear, Ali kicked his quondam
friend out of the vehicle. But terrified, after reflection, by the
possibility that the man, now his enemy, might combine with two or
three Syrians of our party to do him a harm, and frightened by a few
black looks, the senior determined to fortify himself by a friend.
Connected with the boy Mohammed’s family, he easily obtained an
introduction to me; he kissed my hand with great servility, declared
that his servant had behaved disgracefully; and begged my protection
together with an occasional attendance of my “slave.”
This was readily granted in pity for the old man, who became immensely
grateful.
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