He delights also in abruptly interrupting a serious subject when it begins to weigh upon his spirits.  For instance,

Now the waters of ablution being of seven different kinds, it results that-hast thou a wife?-No?-Then verily thou must buy thee a female slave, O youth!  This conduct is not right, and men will say of thee-Repentance:  I take refuge with Allah[FN#41]-‘of a truth his mouth watereth for the spouses of other Moslems.’”

[p.73]But sometimes he nods over a difficult passage under my very eyes, or he reads it over a dozen times in the wantonness of idleness, or he takes what school-boys call a long “shot” most shamelessly at the signification.  When this happens I lose my temper, and raise my voice, and shout, “Verily there is no power nor might save in Allah, the High, the Great!” Then he looks at me, and with passing meekness whispers-

“Fear Allah, O man!”

[FN#1] The second is an imitative word, called in Arabic grammar Tabi’a, as “Zayd Bayd,” “Zayd and others;” so used, it denotes contempt for drachms and similar parts of drug-craft. [FN#2] This familiar abbreviation of Wali al-Din was the name assumed by the enterprising traveller, Dr. Wallin. [FN#3] By the Indians called Bhang, the Persians Bang, the Hottentots Dakha, and the natives of Barbary Fasukh.  Even the Siberians, we are told, intoxicate themselves by the vapour of this seed thrown upon red-hot stones.  Egypt surpasses all other nations in the variety of compounds into which this fascinating drug enters, and will one day probably supply the Western world with “Indian hemp,” when its solid merits are duly appreciated.  At present in Europe it is chiefly confined, as cognac and opium used to be, to the apothecary’s shelves.  Some adventurous individuals at Paris, after the perusal of Monte Christo, attempted an “orgie” in one of the cafes, but with poor success. [FN#4] The Indian name of an Afghan, supposed to be a corruption of the Arabic Fat’han (a conqueror), or a derivation from the Hindustani paithna, to penetrate (into the hostile ranks).  It is an honourable term in Arabia, where “Khurasani” (a native of Khorasan), leads men to suspect a Persian, and the other generic appellation of the Afghan tribes “Sulaymani,” a descendant from Solomon, reminds the people of their proverb, “Sulaymani harami!"-"the Afghans are ruffians!” [FN#5] For the simple reason that no Eastern power confers such an obligation except for value received.  In old times, when official honour was not so rigorous as it is now, the creditors of Eastern powers and principalities would present high sums to British Residents and others for the privilege of being enrolled in the list of their subjects or servants.  This they made profitable; for their claims, however exorbitant, when backed by a name of fear, were certain to be admitted, unless the Resident’s conscience would allow of his being persuaded by weightier arguments of a similar nature to abandon his protege.