ed only said
it was _Min Allah_ (from God) when I suggested that his baby should be
vaccinated at once. Yussuf called him in and said: 'Oh man, when thou
wouldst build a house dost thou throw the bricks in a heap on the ground
and say the building thereof is from God, or dost thou use the brains and
hands which God has given thee, and then pray to Him to bless thy work?
In all things do the best of thy understanding and means, and then say
_Min Allah_, for the end is with Him!' There is not a pin to choose in
fatalism here between Muslim and Christian, the lazy, like Mohammed and
Suleyman (one Arab the other Copt), say _Min Allah_ or any form of dawdle
you please; but the true Muslim doctrine is just what Yussuf laid
down--'do all you can and be resigned to whatever be the result.' _Fais
ce que dois advienne qui pourra_ is good doctrine. In fact, I am very
much puzzled to discover the slightest difference between Christian and
Muslim morality or belief--if you exclude certain dogmas--and in fact,
very little is felt here. No one attempts to apply different standards
of morals or of piety to a Muslim and a Copt. East and West is the
difference, not Muslim and Christian. As to that difference I could tell
volumes. Are they worse? Are they better? Both and neither. I am,
perhaps, not quite impartial, because I am _sympathique_ to the Arabs and
they to me, and I am inclined to be 'kind' to their virtues if not
'blind' to their faults, which are visible to the most inexperienced
traveller. You see all our own familiar 'bunkum' (excuse the vulgarity)
falls so flat on their ears, bravado about 'honour,' 'veracity,' etc.,
etc., they look blank and bored at. The schoolboy morality as set forth
by Maurice is current here among grown men. Of course we tell lies to
Pashas and Beys, why shouldn't we? But shall I call in that ragged
sailor and give him an order to bring me up 500 pounds in cash from Cairo
when he happens to come? It would not be an unusual proceeding. I sleep
every night in a _makaab_ (sort of verandah) open to all Luxor, and
haven't a door that has a lock. They bother me for backsheesh; but oh
how poor they are, and how rich must be a woman whose very servants drink
sugar to their coffee! and who lives in the _Kasr_ (palace) and is
respectfully visited by Ali Bey--and, come to that, Ali Bey would like a
present even better than the poorest fellah, who also loves to give one.
When I know, as I now do