The Mercy of Allah

in public life, “did not fear to speak openly in the council and (such was my love for my fellow-citizens) even in the marketplace. I was untiring in explaining the simple economic principles underlying the policy of The Free Bridge. I was delighted to observe, as my efforts proceeded, two parties forming⁠—the Free Bridgeites, who had the tide with them and were in the spirit of their day, and another party which, for lack of a better name, I will call the Recalcitrants, who were but a hotchpotch of evil-minded malcontents, dolts, public enemies, and in general a body who had no argument save that things were very well as they were and it was a pity to change.

“I need scarcely tell you which of these competing interests won. Intelligence, business enterprise, public spirit, common sense, justice and eighteen or nineteen other things which for the moment escape me supported the glorious triumph of The Free Bridge. At last, when the moment was ripe for it to be voted upon, we swept our opponents out of existence at the polls, securing out of every 100 votes no less than fifty-three for our project.

“The sheik who, in the growing importance of the community was now confirmed in his office by his sovereign under the title of Excellent, delivered an unforgettable harangue, saying that the day when the tolls should be taken off the bridge and the gates thrown down would stand in the annals of his country next to its historic charter and its acceptance of the True Faith. Amid the deafening shouts of a vast concourse, composed, as I was amused to discover, of both parties indifferently, but all out for the occasion, this great official proceeded in state to the entrance of the bridge, cut symbolically the silken thread with which the gates upon either end had been tied and in loud tones declared the bridge open in the name of Allah and his Prophet. Women wept profusely and even strong men had difficulty in hiding their emotion; only the younger of the children and the animals accompanying the procession appeared indifferent. Of the four officials deputed for the watching of the tolls two were thrown into jail on the charge of malversation; the other two were, on my making an appeal for them, allowed to leave the country.

“The head of the opposing party who had done his best to defeat this great and necessary reform now, upon payment, openly admitted that he was converted; whatever sentimental attachment he might still cherish for his old views, he now clearly saw that they were no longer practical politics.

“The gardens of the city were illuminated for three successive nights, cannon were fired and in view of the quite exceptional character of the occasion many criminals were pardoned, including the young brother of the head of the opposition who, under an assumed name, had languished in jail for several months.

“In all this enthusiasm it was easier to get through the practical details of the change, as the obstacle of petty detailed criticism proceeding from an ignorant public was removed.

“A new constitution was happily agreed upon in place of the old revenue from tolls. This old revenue had fluctuated between the annual amounts of 15,000 and 25,000 dinars. To replace it and to allow for all contingencies a fixed sum of 30,000 dinars was put aside as an annual charge upon the public rates to be allocated to the service of the bridge. This sum would, of course, in the natural course of things have been paid annually to myself. But I had other plans.

“After this decision to allocate 30,000 dinars had been arrived at by a unanimous vote I created a very favourable impression when I rose in my place and said that I would never occupy the privileged and, in my view, corrupt position of a citizen drawing a regular pension from my fellows. However great my services had been in the past, I was glad that they should be at the disposal of my country⁠—for so I called the place, having lived in it now two years and more. I could not bear to think that I was, as it were, sucking the very lifeblood of the community and drawing into my private coffers pence which had been contributed, for the most part, by the humblest of my dear countrymen.

“Agreement had already been shown with this announcement⁠—which came from the depth of my heart⁠—when the council was overjoyed to hear my conclusion. It was, if anything, even more sincere. ‘I will accept,’ said I, ‘if you really insist upon it, a sum of money down which might represent the capitalized value of the revenue, but I absolutely refuse upon any terms whatsoever to remain a mere drone supported by this active commercial community, skimming the cream off the taxes and feeling myself a burden where I should be an aid.’

“Applause was almost unknown in the dignified debates of our assembly, but upon this occasion it could not be restrained; for some minutes together the grave but voluminous cheers of my colleagues assured me that I had done right and amply compensated me for any loss that I might suffer, supposing (which was, after all, improbable) the revenue from the bridge in the future would largely rise.

“Such is the frailty of human nature that perhaps the recognition of my good deed would have been less frank, or less simple, had the council themselves been compelled to find the money out of their own pockets. But there was no question of this. The burden must fall, as was only just, upon the whole body of citizens, since all used the bridge. My proposal met therefore with enthusiastic assent from every side, and one speaker in the ensuing debate (a friend who, in his humble way, was associated with other of my lesser enterprises) pointed out what I could not in decency have alluded to, that I also was a taxpayer, and a