"He went to Constantinople with the intention of laying his grievances against England before His Serenity the Sultan—may the Merciful give him long life!"
"The Sultan is a friend of England, your Excellency—the Khedive was turned away."
"Then he went to Paris, as your Excellency is probably aware."
"Perhaps your Excellency supposes that he occupied himself with the frivolities of the gay capital of France—dinners, theatres, dances, races? But no! He had two enemies now, England and Turkey, and he presumed to think he could punish both."
"By founding a secret society for the conquest of Syria, Palestine and Arabia, and the establishment of a great Arab Empire with himself as its Caliph and Cairo as its capital."
"Need I say what happened, your Excellency? By means of his great wealth he was able to send out hundreds of paid emissaries to every part of the Arabic world, and Ishmael Ameer was the first of them."
The Consul-General was at length startled out of all his composure.
"Your Excellency, if I say anything I can always prove it."
The Consul-General’s brow grew more and more severe.
"And his name—his assumed name—what did you say it was?"
"Sheikh Omar Benani," repeated the Consul-General, making another note on his marble tablet.
"That is enough for the present," he said. "I have something to do to-night. I must ask your Eminence to excuse me."
After the Grand Cadi had gone, with many sweeping salaams, various oily compliments, and that cruel gleam in his base eyes which proceeds only from base souls, the Consul-General rang sharply for his Secretary.
"We have not yet made out our invitations for the King’s dinner—let us do so now," he said.
He threw a sheet of paper across the table to his Secretary, who prepared to make notes.
"First, the Diplomatic Corps—every one of them."
"Next, our Egyptian Ministers and the leading members of the Legislative Council."
"Next, the more prominent Pashas and Notables."
"Of course our own people as usual, and finally——"
"Oh, I know," said the Consul-General. "They have never been invited before, but this is a special occasion."
The Consul-General fixed his eyeglass and took up his marble tablet.
"In writing to the Chancellor of El Azhar at the Palace Fum el Khalig," he said, "enclose a card for the Sheikh Omar Benani."