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Show It does not matter-what I know. You answer my question." "Benchaillal walks at night with madame,'' "You're a damned liar!" Achmed said nothing. But he withdrew a pace or two from the mule. He did not look angry. Being called a liar did not distress him at all. Every human being was a liar, he supposed. And why not? Still, he had told the truth this time. The Roumi was a fool not to believe him. "D' you hear?" Sir Claude said, fiercely. "I hear, monsieur." "I know all about you. Madame at the auberge told me." "Madame at the salt mountain is a chamelle," Achmed answered, vi" If monsieur believes such a a woman whom every Arab-" "That'll do. You needn't black- "If monsieur doubts my will not speak at all. But I tell the truth. No Arab speaks truth as I do. All the .rest are liars. I alone speak the truth. Let sieur find out for himself. I say :-.ir madame walks with Benchaillal .,J,l night. And why not? Who --" not wish to see the moon upon desert? Madame loves these things. Monsieur-no! Therefore monsieur sleeps, and madame finds some one to accompany her. She cannot go alone, and Benchaalal is not a poor Arab. He is an officer. So madame chooses I Benchaalal. It is very simple." tlli11 The last words of the Arab MFIB hard into Sir Claude's heart, as truth ·· ~-,. sometimes strikes like a well- aimed J knife. ~ "Therefore monsieur sleeps!" Yes, -,-t it was very simple. At that moment ·4~ Sir Claude saw himself as the first 1 and the last of fools. When a man |
