It was Zogal, and his wild eyes were ablaze with frenzy.
"Wait! Wait!" he cried. "Has the Master forgotten his own message? He says the soldiers of the Franks and Turks are waiting in Cairo to destroy us. But isn't God greater than armies? We are weak and defenceless, but does He always give His victory to the armed and the strong? What!" he cried again, "are you afraid that the Christians will kill us with bullets? That they will eat our flesh and drink our blood? That they will make us worship the wooden cross? If God is with us what can our enemies do? It is not they who throw the javelin—it is God! Therefore," he cried, in a voice that had risen to a scream, "if the Master is to go into Cairo we will all go with him."
In vain Ishmael tried to stop the man. His protests were drowned in the rapturous responses of the crowd. People are as easily swayed to as fro; they regain confidence as rapidly as they lose it. In a moment the Master was forgotten, and only the wild-eyed Dervish seemed to be heard.
"Did not God promise us, through the mouth of His messenger, that we should go into Cairo—and will He break His word?"
"Allah! Allah!" shouted the crowd.
"Did he not tell us God would send us a sign?"
"Allah! Allah!"
"Shall we say it will not come, and call God a liar?"
"Allah! Allah!"
"'At the hour of midnight prayers,' he said, 'the light will shine.'"