About matters of
religion which would seem to involve the assertion of my own
opinion, you are to understand me just as if one or other of the
qualifying phrases above mentioned had been actually inserted in
every sentence. My general direction for you to construe me thus
will render all that I write as strictly and actually true as if I
had every time lugged in a formal declaration of the fact that I
was merely expressing the notions of other people.
{24} "Vino d'oro."
{25} Shereef.
{26} Tennyson.
{27} The other three cities held holy by Jews are Jerusalem,
Hebron, and Safet.
{28} Hadj a pilgrim.
{29} Milnes cleverly goes to the French for the exact word which
conveys the impression produced by the voice of the Arabs, and
calls them "un peuple criard."
{30} There is some semblance of bravado in my manner of talking
about the plague. I have been more careful to describe the terrors
of other people than my own. The truth is, that during the whole
period of my stay at Cairo I remained thoroughly impressed with a
sense of my danger. I may almost say, that I lived in perpetual
apprehension, for even in sleep, as I fancy, there remained with me
some faint notion of the peril with which I was encompassed. But
fear does not necessarily damp the spirits; on the contrary, it
will often operate as an excitement, giving rise to unusual
animation, and thus it affected me. If I had not been surrounded
at this time by new faces, new scenes, and new sounds, the effect
produced upon my mind by one unceasing cause of alarm might have
been very different. As it was, the eagerness with which I pursued
my rambles among the wonders of Egypt was sharpened and increased
by the sting of the fear of death. Thus my account of the matter
plainly conveys an impression that I remained at Cairo without
losing my cheerfulness and buoyancy of spirits. And this is the
truth, but it is also true, as I have freely confessed, that my
sense of danger during the whole period was lively and continuous.
{31} Anglice for "je le sais." These answers of mine, as given
above, are not meant as specimens of mere French, but of that fine,
terse, nervous, Continental English with which I and my compatriots
make our way through Europe. This language, by-the-bye, is one
possessing great force and energy, and is not without its
literature, a literature of the very highest order. Where will you
find more sturdy specimens of downright, honest, and noble English
than in the Duke of Wellington's "French" despatches?
{32} The import of the word "compromised," when used in reference
to contagion, is explained on page 18.
{33} It is said, that when a Mussulman finds himself attacked by
the plague he goes and takes a bath.
