. Thou wouldst have put back the clock in Egypt by a
hundred years, even to the days of the Mamelukes--a race of slaves and
murderers. God ordained that thy guilt should be known in time. Prince,
thou art guilty. It is now but a question how thou shalt pay the debt of
treason."

In David's calm voice was the ring of destiny. It was dispassionate,
judicial; it had neither hatred nor pity. It fell on Harrik's ear as
though from some far height. Destiny, the controller--who could escape
it?

Had he not heard the voices in the night--"The lions are loosed upon
thee"? He did not answer David now, but murmured to himself like one in
a dream.

David saw his mood, and pursued the startled mind into the pit of
confusion. "If it become known to Europe that the army is disloyal,
that its officers are traitors like thee, what shall we find? England,
France, Turkey, will land an army of occupation. Who shall gainsay
Turkey if she chooses to bring an army here and recover control, remove
thy family from Egypt, and seize upon its lands and goods? Dost thou not
see that the hand of God has been against thee? He has spoken, and thy
evil is discovered."

He paused. Still Harrik did not reply, but looked at him with dilated,
fascinated eyes. Death had hypnotised him, and against death and destiny
who could struggle? Had not a past Prince Pasha of Egypt safeguarded
himself from assassination all his life, and, in the end, had he not
been smothered in his sleep by slaves?

"There are two ways only," David continued--"to be tried and die
publicly for thy crimes, to the shame of Egypt, its present peril, and
lasting injury; or to send a message to those who conspired with thee,
commanding them to return to their allegiance, and another to the Prince
Pasha, acknowledging thy fault, and exonerating all others. Else, how
many of thy dupes shall die! Thy choice is not life or death, but how
thou shalt die, and what thou shalt do for Egypt as thou diest. Thou
didst love Egypt, Eminence?"

David's voice dropped low, and his last words had a suggestion which
went like an arrow to the source of all Harrik's crimes, and that also
which redeemed him in a little. It got into his inner being. He roused
himself and spoke, but at first his speech was broken and smothered.

"Day by day I saw Egypt given over to the Christians," he said. "The
Greek, the Italian, the Frenchman, the Englishman, everywhere they
reached out, their hands and took from us