And grimly smiling as he grimly passed,
"While Allah's glory is and still shall last—
Now by Es Sirat!—will a leper's word
And thief's avail to help us?—By my sword!—
Yea, let us see. Whatever their intent
Even as 'tis offered let their necks be bent!
'Though words be pious, evil at the soul
The prayer is naught!—So let their prayer be whole.
Better than gold is death, meseems, for these:
So by the hands of you, my Soudanese,