Of the number of dead Turks he could give no
account: they didnot enter the register. We marched up Wadi Tleih as we had come,
but branched off to the right,avoiding the lava. Especially he played games, either
chess with hisstaff or practical jokes with Mohammed Hassan.
Abdulla professed great interest in the war in
Europe, and studied itclosely in the Press.
So no one was hurt, and we capturedthem mirthfully.
He had come to Wadi Ais toplease his younger brother, and there he would stay. But
the effort proved useless, the air being too thick for observation.
Hismother was Circassian, as had been his
grandmother.
Mohammed said its water would remain till theyears
end, but would soon turn salt and useless.
Like women, they understood and judgedquickly,
effortlessly, unreasonably.
His generosity kept him always poor, despite the
profits of a hundredraids.
The monkey-pleasureof pulling large and impressive
legs was upon us. So no one was hurt, and we capturedthem mirthfully.
The Beduin figuremust have looked strange in the
stucco splendour of the Abdin. But the effort proved useless, the air being too
thick for observation.
But the effort proved useless, the air being too
thick for observation.
The tribearound him beat time with their hands, or
bayed out the refrains at hisnod. From them heobtained his fair complexion; but the
flesh of his face was torn awayby smallpox.
The road was bad, andfinally, one lad cantered his
animal into a heap of stones. A tiresome old fool I found him, asmy illness left me
less even than usual in jesting mood. For the rest he read the papers, atecarefully,
slept. Mohammed allowed himself a bath, a fresh braiding of hisluxuriant hair, and
clean clothes.
I kept turning my head to see if some mass was not
justbehind me, shutting off the air.
Sheslipped, so that he crashed off and broke an
arm.
Had the circumstances oftheir lives given them
opportunity they would have been sheersensualists.
So I worked down, cut and bruised, to the others;
and dressed numbly.
Mohammed allowed himself a bath, a fresh braiding
of hisluxuriant hair, and clean clothes.
Our teeth chattered, and wetrembled and hissed
involuntarily, while our hands drew in like claws.
I told Feisal odd stories of Abdullascamp, and the
joy of breaking railways.
But the effort proved useless, the air being too
thick for observation.
Abdulla professed great interest in the war in
Europe, and studied itclosely in the Press.