It Is There That You
CHARTER Your Camels ("The Ships Of The Desert"), And Lay In Your
Stores For The Voyage.
These preparations kept me in the town for some days.
Disliking
restraint, I declined making myself the guest of the Governor (as
it is usual and proper to do), but took up my quarters at the
caravanserai, or "khan," as they call it in that part of Asia.
Dthemetri had to make the arrangements for my journey, and in order
to arm himself with sufficient authority for doing all that was
required, he found it necessary to put himself in communication
with the Governor. The result of this diplomatic intercourse was
that the Governor, with his train of attendants, came to me one day
at my caravanserai, and formally complained that Dthemetri had
grossly insulted him. I was shocked at this, for the man was
always attentive and civil to me, and I was disgusted at the idea
of his having been rewarded with insult. Dthemetri was present
when the complaint was made, and I angrily asked him whether it was
true that he had really insulted the Governor, and what the deuce
he meant by it. This I asked with the full certainty that
Dthemetri, as a matter of course, would deny the charge, would
swear that a "wrong construction had been put upon his words, and
that nothing was further from his thoughts," &c. &c., after the
manner of the parliamentary people, but to my surprise he very
plainly answered that he certainly HAD insulted the Governor, and
that rather grossly, but, he said, it was quite necessary to do
this in order to "strike terror and inspire respect." "Terror and
respect!
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