DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12665#0171
FINALE WITH THE BEDOUINS. 155
up to the very doors of the synagogue; and their
swarthy figures, their clattering swords, and grim
visages prevented my seeing the face of many a
Hebrew maiden. I expected a scene with them
at parting, and I was not disappointed. Return-
ing to the rabbi's, they followed me into the room,
and, after a few preliminaries, I counted out the
price of the camels, and laid down a bucksheesh
for each separately. Not one of them touched it,
but all looked at the money and at me alternately,
without speaking a word (it was about ten times
as much as I would have had to pay for the same
services anywhere else) ; and the sheik seemed
uncertain what to do. The janizary, however,
whose presence I had almost forgotten, put him-
self forward as an actor in the scene; and, half
drawing his sword and rattling it back into its
scabbard, swore that it was a vile extortion ; that
the governor ought to know it; and that the firman
of the pacha ought to protect a stranger. This
brought the sheik to a decision ; and taking up his
own portion, and directing the rest to do the same,
he expressed himself satisfied, and, without moving
from his place, betook himself to smoking. It was
evident, however, that he was not altogether con-
tent ; and the janizary leaving us soon after, hardly
had the rattling of his steel scabbard died away
along the narrow passage, when they all turned
upon me and gave voice to their dissatisfaction.
I told them that I had paid them an enormous
price, much more than the sheik had spoken of at
up to the very doors of the synagogue; and their
swarthy figures, their clattering swords, and grim
visages prevented my seeing the face of many a
Hebrew maiden. I expected a scene with them
at parting, and I was not disappointed. Return-
ing to the rabbi's, they followed me into the room,
and, after a few preliminaries, I counted out the
price of the camels, and laid down a bucksheesh
for each separately. Not one of them touched it,
but all looked at the money and at me alternately,
without speaking a word (it was about ten times
as much as I would have had to pay for the same
services anywhere else) ; and the sheik seemed
uncertain what to do. The janizary, however,
whose presence I had almost forgotten, put him-
self forward as an actor in the scene; and, half
drawing his sword and rattling it back into its
scabbard, swore that it was a vile extortion ; that
the governor ought to know it; and that the firman
of the pacha ought to protect a stranger. This
brought the sheik to a decision ; and taking up his
own portion, and directing the rest to do the same,
he expressed himself satisfied, and, without moving
from his place, betook himself to smoking. It was
evident, however, that he was not altogether con-
tent ; and the janizary leaving us soon after, hardly
had the rattling of his steel scabbard died away
along the narrow passage, when they all turned
upon me and gave voice to their dissatisfaction.
I told them that I had paid them an enormous
price, much more than the sheik had spoken of at