This eBook was produced by David Widger widgercecometnetDONOVAN PASHA AND SOME PEOPLE OF EGYPTBy Gilbert ParkerVolume 4A YOUNG LION OF DEDANHE WOULD NOT BE DENIEDTHE FLOWER OF THE FLOCKTHE LIGHT OF OTHER DAYSA YOUNG LION OF DEDANLooking from the minaret the Two could see far off the Pyramids ofGhizeh and Sakkara the wells of Helouan the Mokattam Hills the tombsof the Caliphs the Khedives palace at distant Abbasiyeh  Nearer bythe life of the city was spread out  Little green oases of palms emergedfrom the noisy desert of white stone and plaster  The roofs of thehouses turned into gardens and promenades made of the huge superficialcity one broken irregular pavement  Minarets of mosques stood up likegiant lampposts along these vast meandering streets  Shiftlesshousewives lolled with unkempt hair on the housetops women of the haremlooked out of the little mushrabieh panels in the clattering narrowbazaarsJust at their feet was a mosqueone of the thousand nameless mosques ofCairo  It was the season of Ramadan and a Friday the Sunday of theMahommedanthe GhimahThe Two were Donovan Pasha then English Secretary to the Khedivegenerally known as Little Dicky Donovan and Captain Renshaw of theAmerican Consulate  There was no man in Egypt of so much importance asDonovan Pasha  It was an importance which could neither be bought norsoldPresently Dicky touched the arm of his companion  There it comes hesaidHis friend followed the nod of Dickys head and saw passing slowlythrough a street below a funeral procession  Near a hundred blind menpreceded the bier chanting the deathphrases  The bier was covered by afaded Persian shawl and it was carried by the poorest of the fellaheenthough in the crowd following were many richly attired merchants of thebazaars  On a cart laden with bread and rice two fellaheen stood andhanded or tossed out food to the crowdtoken of a death in highplaces  Vast numbers of people rambled behind chanting and a few womennear the bier tore their garments put dust on their heads and keptcrying Salem ala ahaliRemember us to our friendsWalking immediately behind the bier was one conspicuous figure and therewas a space around him which none invaded  He was dressed in white likean Arabian Mahommedan and he wore the green turban of one who has beenthe pilgrimage to MeccaAt sight of him Dicky straightened himself with a little jerk and histongue clicked with satisfaction  Isnt he thoughisnt he hesaid after a moment  His lips pressed together curled in with a trickthey had when he was thinking hard planning thingsThe other forbore to question  The notable figure had instantly arrestedhis attention and held it until it passed from viewIsnt he though Yankee Dicky repeated and pressed a knuckle intothe others waistcoatIsnt he whatIsnt he bullyin your own languageIn figure but I couldnt see his face distinctlyYoull see that presently  You could cut a whole Egyptian Ministry outof that face and have enough left for an American president or the headof the Salvation Army  In all the years Ive spent here Ive never seenone that could compare with him in nature character and force  A fewlike him in Egypt and thered be no need for the moneybarbers ofEuropeHe seems an ooster hereyou know himDo I Dicky paused and squinted up at the tall Southerner  What doyou suppose I brought you out from your Consulate for to seethe viewfrom Ebn Mahmoud  And you call yourself a cute YankeeIm no more a Yankee than you are as Ive told you before answeredthe American with a touch of impatience yet smilingly  Im from SouthCarolina the first State that secededAnyhow Im going to call you Yankee to keep you nicely disguisedThis is the land of disguisesThen we did not come out to see the view the other drawled  Therewas a quickening of the eye a drooping of the lid which betrayed asudden interest a sense of adventureDicky laid his head back and laughed noiselessly  My dear Renshawwith all Europe worrying Ismail with France in the butlers pantry andEngland at the front door do the bowab and the sarraf go out to take airon the housetops and watch the sun set on the Pyramids and make arainbow of the desert  I am the bowab and the sarraf the manofallwork the Jackofalltrades the confidential to the Orientalspendthrift  Am I a dog to bay the moonhave I the soul of a touristfrom Liverpool or PoughkeepsieThe lanky Southerner gripped his arm  Theres a hunting song of theSouth he said and the last line is The hound that never tiresYou are that Donovan PashaI am little Dicky Donovan so they say interrupted the otherYou are the weight that steadies things in this shaky Egypt  You areyou and youve brought me out here because theres work of some kind todo and becauseAnd because youre an American and we speak the same languageAnd our Consulate is all right if needed whatever it is  Youveplayed a square game in Egypt  Youre the only man in office who hasntgot rich out of her andIm not in officeYoure the power behind the throne youreIm helplessworse than helpless Yankee  Ive spent years of my lifehere  Ive tried to be of some use and play a good game for Englandand keep a conscience too but its been no real good  Ive only stavedoff the crash  Im helpless now  Thats why Im hereHe leaned forward and looked out of the minaret and down towards thegreat locked gates of the empty mosqueRenshaw put his hand on Dickys shoulder  Its the man in white yonderyoure afterDicky nodded  It was no use as long as she lived  But shes deadherface was under that old Persian shawland Im going to try it onTry what onLast night I heard she was sick  I heard at noon today that she wasgone and then I got you to come out and see the