“And the diamonds?” inquired Ben-Zayb.

“If they find him—” He went through another pantomime with the fingers of his right hand, spreading them out and clenching them together like the closing of a fan, clutching out with them somewhat in the manner of the wings of a wind-mill sweeping imaginary objects toward itself with practised skill. Ben-Zayb responded with another pantomime, opening his eyes wide, arching his eyebrows and sucking in his breath eagerly as though nutritious air had just been discovered.

“Sssh!” [[341]]


[1] A town in Ciudad Real province, Spain.—Tr. [↑]

[2] The italicized words are in English in the original.—Tr. [↑]

[3] A Spanish hero, whose chief exploit was the capture of Gibraltar from the Moors in 1308.—Tr. [↑]

[4] Emilio Castelar (1832–1899), generally regarded as the greatest of Spanish orators.—Tr. [↑]

[[Contents]]

Chapter XXXVII