The Egyptian’s present establishment consisted of a handsome villa4 on the Shubra road which at one time had been owned by a high Turkish official. It was splendidly furnished, including many modern conveniences, and had a pretty garden in the court that led from the master’s quarters to the harem. Tadros, the dragoman, proudly boasted to himself—he dared not confide5 in others—that the furnishing of this villa had enabled him to acquire a snug6 fortune. Kāra allowed him a free hand, and much gold refused to pass through the dragoman’s fingers.
Tadros had ceased to bemoan7 the loss of his beloved tourists by this time. Even a dozen profligate8 Americans could not enrich him as his own countryman was doing. And the end was not yet.
A few days after the reception Kāra lunched at the Lotus Club and met there Lord Consinor. Later the prince played a game of écarté with Colonel Varrin,{123} of the Khedivial army, and lost a large sum. Consinor watched the game with interest, and after the colonel had retired9 proposed to take a hand with the Egyptian himself. To this Kāra politely assented10. He was a careless player, and displayed little judgment11. The result was that he lost again, and Consinor found himself the richer by a hundred pounds.
The prince laughed good-humoredly and apologized for his poor playing.
“The next time you favor me with a game,” said he, “I will try to do better.”
Consinor smiled grimly. To meet so wealthy and indifferent a victim was indeed rare good luck. He promised himself to fleece the inexperienced Egyptian with exceptional pleasure.
The Lotus Club was then, as now, the daily resort of the most prominent and at the same time the fastest set in Cairo. Both Roane and Consinor had been posted for membership, although the former seldom visited the place until after midnight, and then only to sup or indulge in a bottle of wine when there was nothing more amusing to do. It appeared that Lord Roane was conducting himself with exceptional caution since his arrival in Cairo. His official duties were light, and he passed most of his days at the rooms in the Savoy, where his party was temporarily located until a suitable house could be secured and fitted up. He left Aneth much alone in the evenings, however, and the girl was forced to content herself with the gaieties{124} of the fashionable hotel life and the companionship of those few acquaintances who called upon her. As for the viscount, he was now, as always, quite outside the family circle, and while he seemed attentive12 to his desk at the Department of Finance, the office hours were over at midday and he was free to pass the afternoons and evenings at the club. The viscountess remained languidly helpless and clung to her own apartment, where she kept a couple of Arab servants busy waiting upon her.
Consinor had told Aneth that he would not touch a card while he remained in Egypt; but if he had ever had an idea of keeping his word the resolution soon vanished. He found Kāra irresistible13. Sometimes, to be sure, the prince had luck and won, but in that event it was his custom to double the stakes indefinitely until his opponent swept all his winnings away.
This reckless policy at first alarmed Consinor, who was accustomed to the cautious play of the London clubs; but he observed that Kāra declined ever to rise from the table a winner. No matter with whom he played, his opponent was sure to profit in the end by the Egyptian’s peculiar14 methods. For this reason no man was more popular at the club or more eagerly sought as a partner in “a quiet game” than Prince Kāra, whose wealth seemed enormous and inexhaustible and whose generosity15 was proverbial.
But the rich Egyptian seemed to fancy Consinor’s society above all other, and soon it came to be understood{125} by the club’s habitués that the two men preferred to play together, and the viscount was universally envied as a most fortunate individual.
Yet Kāra was occupying himself in other ways than card-playing during the weeks that followed the arrival of Lord Roane’s party in Egypt. The victims of Hatatcha’s hatred16 had been delivered into his net, and it was now necessary to spin his web so tightly about them that there could be no means of escape. The oriental mind is intricate. It seldom leads directly to a desired object or accomplishment17, but prefers to plot cunningly and with involute complexity18.
One of Lord Roane’s few responsibilities was to audit19 the claims against the Egyptian Government of certain British contractors21 who were engaged in repairing the Rosetta Barrage22 and the canals leading from it. This barrage had originally been built in 1842, but was so badly done that important repairs had long been necessary. At one place a contractor20 named McFarland had agreed to build a stone embankment for two miles along the edge of a canal, to protect the country when the sluice-gates of the dam were opened. This man found, when he began excavating23, that at one time a stone embankment had actually been built in this same place, although not high enough to be effective, for which reason it had become covered with Nile mud and its very existence forgotten. Finding that more than half of the work he had contracted to perform was already accomplished24, the astute25 McFarland kept his{126} lucky discovery a secret and proceeded to complete the embankment. Then he presented his bill for the entire work to be audited26 by Roane, after which he intended to collect from the Government. The matter involved the theft of eighteen thousand pounds sterling27.
Kāra, whose well-paid spies were watching every official act of Lord Roane, learned of the contractor’s plot by means of its betrayal to one of his men by McFarland himself, who, in an unguarded moment, when he was under the influence of drink, confided28 his good fortune to “his dear friend.” But it was evident that Roane had no suspicion of the imposture29 and was likely to approve the fulfilment of the contract without hesitation30.
Here was just the opportunity that the Egyptian had been seeking. One morning Tadros, being fully31 instructed, obtained a private interview with Lord Roane and confided to him his discovery of the clever plan of robbing the Government which McFarland was contemplating32. Roane was surprised, but thanked the informer and promised to expose the swindle.
“That, my lord, would be a foolish thing to do,” asserted the dragoman, bluntly. “The Egyptian Government is getting rich, and has ample money to pay for this contract and a dozen like it. I assure you that no one is aware of this secret but ourselves. Very well! Are we fools, my lord? Are there no commissions to be exacted to repay you for living in this country of the Turks, or me for keeping my ears open? I do not want{127} your thanks; I want money. For a thousand pounds I will keep silent forever. For the rest, you can arrange your own division with the contractor.”
Roane grew angry and indignant at once, asserting the dignity of his high office and blustering33 and threatening the dragoman for daring to so insult him. Tadros, however, was unimpressed.
“It is a mere34 matter of business,” he suggested, when he was again allowed to proceed. “I am myself an Egyptian, but the Egyptians do not rule Egypt. Nor do I believe the English are here from entirely35 unselfish motives36. To be frank, why should you or I endeavor to protect the stupid Turks, who are being robbed right and left? In this affair there is no risk at all, for if McFarland’s dishonesty is discovered no one can properly accuse you of knowing the truth about the old embankment. Your inspector37 has gone there now; on his return he will say that the work is completed according to contract. You will approve the bill, McFarland will be paid, and I will then call upon you to collect my thousand pounds. Of your agreement with the contractor I wish to know nothing; so, then, the matter is settled. You can trust to my discretion38, my lord.”
Then he went away, leaving Roane to consider the proposition.
The old nobleman’s career was punctured39 with such irregularities that the contemplation of this innocent-looking affair was in no way appalling40 to his moral sense. He merely pondered its safety, and decided41 the{128} risk of exposure was small. Cairo was an extravagant42 city to live in, and his salary was too small to permit him to indulge in all the amusements he craved43. The opportunity to acquire a snug amount was not to be despised, and, after all, the dragoman was correct in saying it would be folly44 not to take advantage of it.
The next day Kāra personally interviewed the contractor, telling him frankly45 that he was aware of all the details of the proposed swindle. McFarland was frightened, and protested that he had no intention of collecting the bill he had presented.
But the prince speedily reassured46 him.
“You must follow out your plans,” said he. “It is too late to withdraw now. When you go to Roane he will inform you that he has discovered the truth. You will then compromise with him, offering him one-half of the entire sum you intend to steal, or a matter of nine thousand pounds. Give him more, if necessary; but remember that every piastre you allow Roane I will repay to you personally, if you can get my lord to sign a receipt to place in my hands.”
“I see,” said McFarland, nodding wisely. “You want to get him in your power.”
“Precisely; and I am willing to pay well to do so.”
“But when you expose him you will also implicate47 me.”
“I shall not expose him. It will merely be a weapon for me to hold over him, but one I shall never use. You can depend upon that. Take your eighteen thousand{129} pounds and go to England, where it will enable you to live in peace and affluence48.”
“I will,” said the contractor. “I’ll take the chances.”
“There are none,” returned Kāra, positively49.
So it was that Lord Roane bargained successfully with the contractor and won for himself twelve of the eighteen thousand pounds for auditing50 the bill. The money was promptly51 paid by the Government and the division of spoils followed. Tadros called for his thousand pounds and gave a receipt for it that would incriminate himself if he ever dared divulge52 the secret. Roane also gave a receipt to McFarland, although reluctantly, and only when he found the matter could be arranged in no other way.
This receipt passed into the hands of Kāra. The contractor at once returned to England, and my lord secretly congratulated himself upon his “good luck” and began to enjoy his money.
While this little comedy was being enacted53, Kāra found opportunity to call more than once upon Miss Aneth Consinor, who was charmed by his graceful speech and his exceptional knowledge of Egyptian history. Even Winston, whom Kāra met sometimes in the young lady’s reception-room, could not deny the prince’s claim to superior information concerning the ancients, and he listened as eagerly as Aneth to the man’s interesting conversations, while impotently resenting the Egyptian’s attention to the girl.{130}
Aneth, however, knowing no reason why she should not admire the handsome native, whose personal attractions were by no means small, loved to draw him into discussions on his favorite themes and watch his dark, glowing eyes light up as he explained the mysteries of the priestly rites54 of the early dynasties. Whatever might be the man’s secret designs, he always treated the English girl with rare gentleness and courtesy, although the bluntness of his speech and the occasional indelicacy of his allusions55 betrayed the crudeness of his early training. Winston grew to dislike and even to fear Kāra; for while he had nothing tangible56 with which to reproach the Egyptian, his experience of the native character led him to distrust the man intuitively.
Kāra doubtless felt this mistrust, for a coolness grew up between the two men that quickly destroyed their former friendship, and they soon came to mutually understand that they were rivals for Aneth’s favor, and perhaps her affections.
Neither, however, had any idea of withdrawing from the field, and Aneth distributed her favors equally between them because she had no thought beyond her enjoyment57 of the society of the two men who had proved so especially agreeable. The girl had no chaperone except a young English lady whose rooms adjoined her own and with whom she had established a friendship; but Mrs. Everingham took a warm interest in the lonely girl and was glad to accompany her in many an excursion from which Aneth would otherwise have been{131} debarred. The visits to the museum with Winston were frequent and of absorbing interest, for the handsome young Egyptologist was a delightful58 guide. Following an afternoon examining the famous relics59, they would repair to the terrace at Shepheard’s for five-o’clock tea, and here Kāra frequently joined them. The prince had brought from Paris an automobile60, together with a competent French chauffeur61, and in this machine many pleasant excursions were made to the pyramids, Heliopolis, Sakkara and Helwan, the Egyptian roads being almost perfection. Winston and Mrs. Everingham always joined these parties, and neither could fail to admit that Kāra was a delightful host.
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1
graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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persistent
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| adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的 | |
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undoing
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| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
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villa
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| n.别墅，城郊小屋 | |
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confide
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| v.向某人吐露秘密 | |
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snug
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| adj.温暖舒适的，合身的，安全的；v.使整洁干净，舒适地依靠，紧贴；n.（英）酒吧里的私房 | |
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7
bemoan
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| v.悲叹，哀泣，痛哭；惋惜，不满于 | |
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8
profligate
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| adj.行为不检的；n.放荡的人，浪子，肆意挥霍者 | |
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retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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10
assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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attentive
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| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
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13
irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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accomplishment
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| n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能 | |
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18
complexity
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| n.复杂(性)，复杂的事物 | |
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audit
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| v.审计；查帐；核对；旁听 | |
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contractor
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| n.订约人，承包人，收缩肌 | |
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contractors
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| n.（建筑、监造中的）承包人( contractor的名词复数 ) | |
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22
barrage
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| n.火力网，弹幕 | |
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excavating
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| v.挖掘( excavate的现在分词 )；开凿；挖出；发掘 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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astute
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| adj.机敏的，精明的 | |
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audited
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| v.审计，查账( audit的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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sterling
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| adj.英币的(纯粹的，货真价实的)；n.英国货币(英镑) | |
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28
confided
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| v.吐露（秘密，心事等）( confide的过去式和过去分词 )；（向某人）吐露（隐私、秘密等） | |
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29
imposture
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| n.冒名顶替，欺骗 | |
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30
hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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31
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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32
contemplating
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| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
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33
blustering
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| adj.狂风大作的，狂暴的v.外强中干的威吓( bluster的现在分词 )；咆哮；（风）呼啸；狂吹 | |
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34
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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36
motives
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| n.动机，目的( motive的名词复数 ) | |
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37
inspector
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| n.检查员，监察员，视察员 | |
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38
discretion
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| n.谨慎；随意处理 | |
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39
punctured
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| v.在（某物）上穿孔( puncture的过去式和过去分词 )；刺穿（某物）；削弱（某人的傲气、信心等）；泄某人的气 | |
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40
appalling
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| adj.骇人听闻的，令人震惊的，可怕的 | |
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41
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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42
extravagant
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| adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的 | |
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43
craved
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| 渴望，热望( crave的过去式 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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folly
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| n.愚笨，愚蠢，蠢事，蠢行，傻话 | |
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45
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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46
reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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47
implicate
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| vt.使牵连其中，涉嫌 | |
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48
affluence
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| n.充裕，富足 | |
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49
positively
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| adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实 | |
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50
auditing
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| n.审计，查账，决算 | |
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51
promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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52
divulge
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| v.泄漏(秘密等)；宣布，公布 | |
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53
enacted
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| 制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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54
rites
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| 仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 ) | |
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55
allusions
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| 暗指，间接提到( allusion的名词复数 ) | |
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56
tangible
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| adj.有形的，可触摸的，确凿的，实际的 | |
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57
enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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58
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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59
relics
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| [pl.］n.遗物，遗迹，遗产；遗体，尸骸 | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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