The Mercy of Allah

large one; so that any public payment was borne partly by myself. The sheik, in closing the discussion, after a few compliments which my natural modesty forbids me to repeat, said that clearly nothing was now left but to make a computation⁠—a mere matter of bookkeeping⁠—and that this detail might safely be left to a small committee of three, which was nominated upon the spot; their work was of course honorary, for they were men of high standing; but I saw to it that all their expenses and other disbursements should be met and I gave them much hospitality. The committee met at intervals during the ensuing three weeks. I appeared frequently before this committee in the capacity of witness, I produced all my books and had, I am glad to say, the restraint and good feeling to let things take their course and not to haggle as though this great public settlement had been a private commercial deal. It is enough to say that at the end of this proceeding the sum of 1,400,000 dinars was awarded to me by the arbitrators and that I, after protesting against what I called the excessive generosity of the state, then added to my popularity by erecting at my own charges a fine gate of entry at the city end of the bridge which absorbed half the odd 400,000; the other half I gave in a burst of generosity to the members of the committee: not of course in their public capacity but privately, as being my personal friends, and in reward for their untiring public spirit.

“I was left with a million.

“I was fully content.

“I desired no more.”

“But, uncle,” timidly interrupted the eldest of the nephews, “I am puzzled by one thing. Will you allow me to ask you a question upon it?”

“Certainly, my dear lad,” said the old man, stroking his beard and awaiting the query.

“Why, uncle,” said the boy, still hesitating somewhat, “it is this. I do not quite see how it came that you should have a million dinars. You came to this place with half a million, how then did it become one million?”

The folly of the question raised a titter from his brothers, who had always regarded their senior as the least brilliant of their clan. But their uncle was more lenient and checked their mirth (which was especially loud in the youngest), and said:

“My dear boy, do you see anything extraordinary in an accretion of fortune to a man who served the community so well?”

“No, not exactly that,” said the elder nephew, still hesitating, “far from it, dear uncle; but what I do not quite clearly see is where the other half-million came from.”

“Foolish lad!” answered his relative, now touched with annoyance. “It came from my untiring devotion to the public service, from my foresight in providing a magnificent bridge which for all those years no one had attempted; from the freely expressed desire of my fellow-citizens through their honoured representatives. It was, indeed, but a small recompense for all the good I had done and all the immeasurable advantage to this town which my energy had created.”

“Yes, dear uncle, but⁠ ⁠…” went on the blushing lad.

“Oh, don’t listen to him,” cried his brothers in chorus. “You will never make him understand! Our father has always said that he could not even do his arithmetic,” and the shrill laugh of the youngest was heard at the end of his protest.

“Well, well,” said Mahmoud good-naturedly, “we will not quarrel about it.”

At that moment the intolerable shriek of the muezzin calling the faithful to prayer was heard from the neighbouring minaret and the somewhat strained situation was relieved.

V

Milh, or “Salt”

When his nephews next filed into the presence of Mahmoud at the hour of public executions their first act was to stand in a line and salaam; their next to push forward the eldest, who with much catching up of himself and in the humblest tones, desired to apologize to his uncle for the interruption of which he had been guilty during their last audience.

“It is not my fault, Revered Sir,” said he, “that I was born a little thickheaded in the matter of figures. The whole thing has been explained to me most fully by my father, my mother, my brothers, and sundry guests that came in last night after the evening meal: to which (alas!) we could not afford to invite them. I now see very clearly where and how a million can become two without breeding, and I only hope that in the further story of your adventures we shall find miraculously increasing with every year the fortune which the Almighty bestowed upon you in reward for your ceaseless efforts to benefit mankind.”

Having said this the lad bowed once more in deep obeisance, while, at a signal from one of their uncle’s attendant slaves, all the brothers sank cross-legged to the floor and assumed expressions of the most enraptured attention.

“There was no need,” said the old man kindly, “to refer again to this unfortunate little affair; but since you have done so I am indeed glad to learn that your difficulties have been explained away. No doubt your excellent father, my brother, and his guests made it plain to you that, if anything, my reward had been far below that to which I was morally entitled. For a man who not only builds for a city a fine bridge but also, from a pure public spirit, leaves it open and free to all, is worthy of very high reward indeed at the hands of the commonwealth. But, to tell the truth, though I am not indifferent to success in any task I take up, I was not so much concerned with the worldly advantage of my increased fortune as with the good I had done, and with the knowledge that it would add to my glory in paradise. For it is written: ‘Three works are remembered on high: