a in a real teapot, a
hissing kettle, strange loaves, purest butter, honey, and fruits of
every conceivable colour had been laid upon a cloth upon the grass,
fell like a bolt from the blue, though the man made no sign of
disturbance from the impact.

"I want eggs and bacon, Hahmed!"

For a moment he pondered the remark, whilst he offered Jill a cigarette
and lit one for himself.

"The eggs, my woman," and the musical voice made a poem even of the
absurd words, "now that thou hast taught thy slaves to poach and
scramble and prepare them in divers and pleasant ways, are easy--but
bacon--no! that canst thou _not_ have amongst these my people!"

And Jill swung ceaselessly to and fro, looking at the man sitting a few
yards from her on a rug, before she answered in tersest English:

"Don't be dense, Hahmed! I want eggs and bacon, and a starched finger
napkin--toast in a rack--covered dishes--marmalade--I'm--I'm------"

"Fed up!"

The deep voice filled in the pause also in tersest English.

For one moment Jill sat up as straight as the hammock would allow, and
then for the first time in many days broke into a peal of sweetest
laughter, and swinging herself clear of the net ran over and laid
herself down upon the rug beside the man, with her chin in the palms of
her hands, to find herself the next moment in his arms, whilst he
looked down into her eyes without speaking. Whereupon she turned her
face on to his shoulder and burst into tears.

And Hahmed, being wise, let her cry until there were no more tears,
only little sobs which tore at his heart, which lightened considerably
when having mopped her eyes with the edge of his cloak, she twisted
herself into a sitting position, and smiled as she laid her golden head
against his dark one, and entwined her slim fingers in his.

And Hahmed smiled also, knowing that this was the preliminary to some
request of which his wife had doubts as to the granting, but never a
word did he utter, nor made sign to help, whilst Jill, somewhat at a
loss, lit a cigarette, and proceeded to blow rings which on account of
the breeze refused to pass one through the other.

"Hahmed!" she managed at last and stopped, and then continued as she
got up and moved away: "Hahmed! I'm feeling absolutely _miserable_. I
think I want a change--I really do want all I said just now, so--so
_can't_ we go to Cairo and stay at an English hotel for the New Year?
We could _just_ do it if we started at onc