Page:H. D. Traill - From Cairo to the Soudan Frontier.djvu/96

88 deprecation, or of grave remonstrance, or of passionate entreaty, or of deadly hate. They will not take it in any form of language however potently fortified with the most vigorous phrases of European invective, or however richly arabesqued with the most highly decorative specimens of Oriental imprecation. They will take it only when emphasised with the stick, and unless the traveller feels sufficiently at home with them to punctuate his refusals with a stout cudgel, he is practically at their mercy. The venerable Ali is well aware of this; yet it is apparently without any wish to join them that he watches the black swarm of Hamids and Hassans at their maddening work. The agonised voices of the victims are audible to him, where he squats, as their heart-felt utterances, sounding like so many extracts from an animated and somewhat profane Ollendorf, fill the dusty air. "No! no, thank you! No, I tell you! No, no! Be off! Get away! Imshi! I don't want it!