DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12665#0131
AN EXPLOSION,
115
I had been smothering my feelings of contempt
through the whole journey ; but now I had seen
Petra and Mount Hor, and it was a relief to have
something to justify me in my own eyes in break-
ing through all restraint. I had caught him in the
very act of baseness and villany, corrupting the
faith of my servant; bribing under my own eyes,
and while eating my bread, the only man on whom
I could rely at all; and the proof of his treason,
the accursed gold, was before me. With a loud
voice I called him back to the tent, and charged
him with his baseness, reproaching him that I had
come into the desert upon the faith of his promises,
and he had endeavoured to corrupt my servant be-
fore my eyes ; I told him that he was false and faith-
less ; that I had before distrusted him ; but that I
now despised him, and would not give him a para
till we got to Hebron, nor would I tell him how
much I would give him then ; but that, if he would
take himself off and leave me alone in the desert, I
would pay him the price of his camels ; I assured
him that, bad as he represented them, I did not
believe there was a worse Arab in all his tribe
than himself; and finally, throwing open my trunk,
I told him that I did not fear him or all his tribe ;
that I had there a certain sum of money, which
should belong to the man who should conduct me
to Hebron, whoever he might be, and clothes which
would not suit an Arab's back ; that I knew I was
in his power; but that, if they killed me, they could
not get more than they could without it; and
115
I had been smothering my feelings of contempt
through the whole journey ; but now I had seen
Petra and Mount Hor, and it was a relief to have
something to justify me in my own eyes in break-
ing through all restraint. I had caught him in the
very act of baseness and villany, corrupting the
faith of my servant; bribing under my own eyes,
and while eating my bread, the only man on whom
I could rely at all; and the proof of his treason,
the accursed gold, was before me. With a loud
voice I called him back to the tent, and charged
him with his baseness, reproaching him that I had
come into the desert upon the faith of his promises,
and he had endeavoured to corrupt my servant be-
fore my eyes ; I told him that he was false and faith-
less ; that I had before distrusted him ; but that I
now despised him, and would not give him a para
till we got to Hebron, nor would I tell him how
much I would give him then ; but that, if he would
take himself off and leave me alone in the desert, I
would pay him the price of his camels ; I assured
him that, bad as he represented them, I did not
believe there was a worse Arab in all his tribe
than himself; and finally, throwing open my trunk,
I told him that I did not fear him or all his tribe ;
that I had there a certain sum of money, which
should belong to the man who should conduct me
to Hebron, whoever he might be, and clothes which
would not suit an Arab's back ; that I knew I was
in his power; but that, if they killed me, they could
not get more than they could without it; and