uble--once for the tax and once for the excess; and if any
man, having been unjustly taxed for the Kaid's tribute, had given
bond on his lands for his debt and been cast into the Kasbah and
died, without ransoming them, then to his children he had returned
fourfold--double for the lands and double for the death. Israel had done
this continually, and said nothing to Ben Aboo, but paid all charges out
of his own purse, so that from being a rich man he had fallen within
a month to the condition of a poor one, for what was one man's wealth
among so many? Yet no goodwill had he won thereby, but only pity and
contempt, for the people that had taken his money had thanked the Kaid
for it, who, according to their supposals, had called on him to correct
what he had done amiss. And with Ben Aboo himself he had fared no
better, for the Basha was provoked to anger with him when he heard from
Katrina of the good money that he had been casting away in pity for the
poor.

"What have I told you a score of times?" said the woman. "That man has
mints of money."

"My money, burn his grandfather," said Ben Aboo.

Thus, on every side Israel had fallen in the world's reckoning. When he
lifted his hand from off that plough wherewith he had done the devil's
work, he had made many enemies, and such as he had before he had made
more powerful. People who had showed him lip-service when he was thought
to be rich did not conceal the joy they had that he was brought down
so near to be a beggar. Upstarts, who owed their promotion to his
intercession, found in his charities an easy handle given them to be
insolent, for, by carrying to Katrina their secret messages of his mercy
to the people, they brought things at length to such a pass between him
and the Kaid that Ben Aboo openly upbraided Israel for his weakness, not
once or twice but many times.

"And pray what is this I hear of your fine charities, master Israel?"
said Ben Aboo. "Ah, do not look surprised. There are little birds enough
to twitter of such follies. So you are throwing away silver like bones
to the dogs! Pity you've got too much of it, Israel ben Oliel; pity
you've got too much of it, I say."

"The people are poor, Lord Basha," said Israel; "they are famishing, and
they have no refuge save with God and with us."

"Tut!" cried Ben Aboo. "A famine in my bashalic! Let no man dare to say
so. The whining dogs are preying upon your simpleness, mistress Israel.
You poor old grandmothe