DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12665#0132
116
INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.
added, turning my pistols in my belt, that they
should not get it while I could defend it. All this,
passing through an interpreter, had given me time
to cool; and, before coming to my grand climax,
though still highly indignant, I was able to observe
the effect of my words. At the first glance I saw
that I had the vantage ground, and that the con*
sciousness of being detected in his baseness sealed
his lips. I am inclined to think that he would
have been disgraced in the eyes of his tribe, if they
had been acquainted with the circumstances; for,
instead of resenting my passionate language, he
earnestly begged me to lower my voice, and fre-
quently looked out of the tent to see if any of his
companions were near. Keep cool is a good max*
im, generally, in a man's walk through life, and it
is particularly useful with Bedouins in the desert;
but there are times when it is good to be in a pas-
sion, and this was one of them. Without attempt-
ing to resent what I said, even by word or look, he
came up to me, kissed my hand, and swore that
he would never mention the subject of bucksheesh
again until we got to Hebron, and he did not. I
retained my command over him through the whole
journey, while he was constantly at my side, taking
my horse, holding my stirrup, and in every way
trying to make himself useful. I am not sure,
however, but that, in his new character of a syco-
phant, he was worse than before. A sycophant in
civilized life, where the usages of society admit,
and perhaps demand, a certain degree of unmeant
INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL.
added, turning my pistols in my belt, that they
should not get it while I could defend it. All this,
passing through an interpreter, had given me time
to cool; and, before coming to my grand climax,
though still highly indignant, I was able to observe
the effect of my words. At the first glance I saw
that I had the vantage ground, and that the con*
sciousness of being detected in his baseness sealed
his lips. I am inclined to think that he would
have been disgraced in the eyes of his tribe, if they
had been acquainted with the circumstances; for,
instead of resenting my passionate language, he
earnestly begged me to lower my voice, and fre-
quently looked out of the tent to see if any of his
companions were near. Keep cool is a good max*
im, generally, in a man's walk through life, and it
is particularly useful with Bedouins in the desert;
but there are times when it is good to be in a pas-
sion, and this was one of them. Without attempt-
ing to resent what I said, even by word or look, he
came up to me, kissed my hand, and swore that
he would never mention the subject of bucksheesh
again until we got to Hebron, and he did not. I
retained my command over him through the whole
journey, while he was constantly at my side, taking
my horse, holding my stirrup, and in every way
trying to make himself useful. I am not sure,
however, but that, in his new character of a syco-
phant, he was worse than before. A sycophant in
civilized life, where the usages of society admit,
and perhaps demand, a certain degree of unmeant