"You think that still, Gordon?"
"What, dearest?"
"That love is above everything?"
"Everything in the world," he whispered, and then she kissed him of herself and nothing else mattered—nothing on earth or in heaven.
CHAPTER XIX
When Helena had gone the air of his room seemed to be more dumb and empty than it had ever been before; but the bell of the telephone rang immediately, and Hafiz spoke to him.
Hafiz had just heard from his uncle that the Ulema were to meet at eight o'clock to consider what course they ought to adopt. The Chancellor was in favour of submission to superior force, but some of his colleagues of the reactionary party—the old stick-in-the-muds made in Mecca—not being able to believe the Government could be in earnest, were advocating revolt, even resistance.
"Hadn't you better go up to El Azhar to-night, Gordon, and tell them the Government means business? They'll believe you, you know, and it may save riot, perhaps bloodshed."
"I hadn't intended to go there again, Hafiz, but if you think I can do any good——"
"You can—I'm sure you can. Let me call for you at eight and we'll go up together."