Sheikh's
rubbish, I wondered. But birds of a feather, thought I.

"'That book was sent to me,' said he, 'by a merchant friend, who found
it in the Bazaar. They send me all kinds of books, these simple of
heart. They think I can read in all languages and discourse on all
subjects. Allah forgive them.'

"And when I tell him, in reply to his inquiry, that the book treats of
Titles, Orders, and Degrees of Precedence, he utters a sharp whew, and
with a quick gesture of weariness and disgust, tells me to take it.
'I have my head full of our own ansab (pedigrees),' he adds, 'and I
have no more respect for a green turban (the colour of the Muslem
nobility) than I have for this one,' pointing to his, which is white.

"Mrs. Gotfry then asks the Sheikh what he thinks of Wahhabism.

"'It is Islam in its pristine purity; it is the Islam of the first
great Khalifs. "Mohammed is dead; but Allah lives," said Abu Bekr to
the people on the death of the Prophet. And Wahhabism is a direct
telegraph wire between mortal man and his God.

"'But why should these Wahhabis of Nejd be the most fanatical, when
their doctrines are the most pure?' asked Khalid.

"'In thy question is the answer to it. They are fanatical _because_ of
their purity of doctrine, and withal because they live in Nejd. If
there were a Wahhabi sect in Barr'ush-Sham (Syria), it would not be
thus, assure thee.'

"And expressing his liking for Khalid, he advises him to be careful of
his utterances in Damascus, if he believes in self-preservation. 'I am
old,' he continues; 'and the ulema do not think my flesh is good for
sacrifice. But thou art young, and plump--a tender yearling--ah, be
careful sheikh Khalid. Then, I do not talk to the people direct. I
talk to them through holy men and dervishes. The people do not believe
in a philosopher; but the holy man, and though he attack the most
sacred precepts of the Faith, they will believe. And Damascus is the
very hive of turbans, green and otherwise. So guard thee, my child.'

"Mrs. Gotfry then asks for a minute's privacy with the Sheikh. And
before he withdraws with her to the court, he searches through a heap
of mouldy tomes, draws from beneath them a few yellow pamphlets on the
Comparative Study of the Semetic Alphabets and on The Rights of the
Khalifate--such is the scope of his learning--and dusting these on his
knee, presents them to us, saying, 'Judge us not severely.'

"This does not mean that he cares much if we