interests. Oriental through and through, the basis of his creed was
similar to that of a Muslim: Mahomet was a prophet and Christ was a
prophet. It was a case of rival prophets--all else was obscured into a
legend, and he saw the strife of race in the difference of creed. For
the rest, he flourished the salutations and language of the Arab as
though they were his own, and he spoke Arabic as perfectly as he did
French and English.

He was the second son of his father. The first son, who was but a year
older, and was as dark as he was fair, had inherited--had seized--all his
father's wealth. He had lived abroad for some years in France and
England. In the latter place he had been one of the Turkish Embassy,
and, having none of the outward characteristics of the Turk, and being
in appearance more of a Spaniard than an Oriental, he had, by his gifts,
his address and personal appearance, won the good-will of the Duchess of
Middlesex, and had had that success all too flattering to the soul of a
libertine. It had, however, been the means of his premature retirement
from England, for his chief at the Embassy had a preference for an
Oriental entourage. He was called Foorgat Bey.

Sitting at table, Nahoum alone of all present had caught David's arrested
look, and, glancing up, had seen the girl's face at the panel of
mooshrabieh, and had seen also over her shoulder the face of his brother,
Foorgat Bey. He had been even more astonished than David, and far more
disturbed. He knew his brother's abilities; he knew his insinuating
address--had he not influenced their father to give him wealth while he
was yet alive? He was aware also that his brother had visited the Palace
often of late. It would seem as though the Prince Pasha was ready to
make him, as well as David, a favourite. But the face of the girl--it
was an English face! Familiar with the Palace, and bribing when it was