"The greatest! When the sun rises above the horizon we see no more the stars."
It was obvious enough through his fine language that the stranger was eager to tell his story, and after calling for an oath of secrecy and fidelity he told it to the Sheikh and the Bedouin in bated breath.
The time of the end had come! A pilgrimage had been proclaimed! Ishmael Ameer was to go up to Cairo secretly and his people were to follow him; the Egyptian army were to help them to enter the city, the hated foreigner was to be flung out of the country, and Egypt was to be God's!
The Sheikh of the village was completely carried away by the stranger's news, but the Bedouin listened to it with unconcealed alarm.
"Is this the plan of Ishmael Ameer?" he asked.
"It is," said the stranger, "and God bring it to a happy end!"
"Did anybody put it into his head?" asked the Bedouin.
"Yes, a woman, his wife, and God bless and reward her!"
"His wife, you say?"
"Wallahi!" said the stranger, and then, with many fine sentiments and much flowery speech, he told of the lady, the White Lady, the Rani, the Princess, who had lately been married to Ishmael Ameer and had now so much power over him.