“Peace be upon you,” they said.
“And upon you peace,” I returned. “What is the news?”
And one answered: “Reshâd is Sultan.”
“God prolong his existence!” said I.
Upon this we parted, and they went down the hill, and we in silence to the top of the ridge. The silver Tigris and the green plain lay before us, and in the midst the city of Môṣul, which had published the accession of another lord.
“Praise God!” said I, looking down upon that fair land.
“To Him the praise!” echoed Fattûḥ.
And then the zaptieh gave voice to his thought.
“All the days of ’Abdu’l Ḥamîd,” he said, “we never drew our pay.”