He began to walk again and to talk with great animation.
"What does Islam mean? It means slavery, seclusion of women, indiscriminate divorce, unlimited polygamy, the breakdown of the family and the destruction of the nation. Well, what happens? Civilisation comes along, and it is death to all such dark ways. What next? The scheming Sheikhs, the corrupt Pashas, the tyrannical Caliphs, all the rascals and rogues who batten on corruption, the fanatics who are opponents of the light, cry out against it. Either they must lose their interests or civilisation must go. What then? Civilisation means the West, the West means Christianity. So 'Down with the Christians! O Moslems, help us to kill them!'"
The Consul-General stopped by Gordon's chair, put his hand on his son's shoulder, and said—
"There comes a time in the history of all our Mohammedan dependencies—India, Egypt, every one of them—when England has to confront a condition like that."
"And what has she to do, sir?"
The Consul-General lifted his right fist and brought it down on his left palm, and said—
"To come down with a heavy hand on the lying agitators and intriguers who are leading away the ignorant populace."
"I agree, sir. It is the agitators who should be punished, not the poor, emotional, credulous Egyptian people."
"The Egyptian people, my boy, are graceless ingrates who under the influence of momentary passion would brain their best friend with their nabouts, and go like camels before the camel-driver."
Gordon winced visibly, but only said, "Who is the camel-driver in this instance, sir?"