or I should
never have accepted all those presents. Now you must please accept a
trifle from me."

Iskender found in his hand a piece of gold, and saw Elias nodding and
grimacing. He murmured words of thanks perfunctorily, the while he
gnashed his teeth with secret rage. Such kindness was an outrage to
his love, being given at the bidding, in the presence, of the rogue
Elias. The cup of his humiliation overflowed.

"Now all is well," Elias told him afterwards. "Be thankful that thou
hast a friend like me. He smiled on thee; he gave thee money. Thou
art back in favour."

Iskender was obliged to thank him kindly. What his soul needed was to
be alone with his Emir, to throw himself at his feet, and win his true
forgiveness. The casual kind word with a fee was worse than nothing in
the realm of love. But Elias, as if of fixed intent to thwart him,
stood always in the way, annihilating the unhappy youth with
condescension, bidding him cheer up and amuse his Honour. Iskender
heard his rattle with a stupid admiration which the Emir's applauding
laughter made quite envious. He himself had fallen to the level of a
mere serving-lad, to run his Honour's errands and be tipped
occasionally.

His mother judged that things were thriving with him, since he brought
home money; and he did not undeceive her, wishing to keep his grievous
fall a secret as long as possible; though soon, he feared, it must be
evident to all the world. Already Yuhanna and the other dragomans
jeered at him in the streets, acclaiming the triumph of Elias, their
own comrade. He thought of invoking the aid of his uncle Abdullah, but
that respectable man was for the moment absent on Cook's business.
There seemed no hope of success by his own efforts, for in the presence
of the Emir he could not now think clearly, nor find a word to please.
Distress of longing set a cloud upon his brow, a weight upon his
tongue, which was not lightened when Elias chaffed him for a dull
companion.

It was only when alone that he regained his normal wit; and then his
soul leapt up in envy of the brilliant dragoman. Elias was clever; he
had seen the world; his position as a dragoman would bear inspection.
No wonder that the Frank preferred him to the son of a poor
washerwoman, whose lowliness Elias himself was always emphasising.
Thus attacked, and without defence, since there was no denying that his
origin was humble, Iskender's pride took refuge in its old imag