A Ride Across Palestine | Page 9

here
they ought to be. Don't you carry a revolver, Smith?"
Smith said that he never had done so, but that he would take the charge
of mine if I liked. To this, however, I demurred. "I never part with my
pistol to any one," I said, rather drily. But he explained that he only
intended to signify that if there were danger to be encountered, he
would be glad to encounter it; and I fully believed him. "We shan't
have much fighting," I replied; "but if there be any, the tool will come
readiest to the hand of its master. But if you mean to remain here long I
would advise you to get one. These Orientals are a people with whom
appearances go a long way, and, as a rule, fear and respect mean the
same thing with them. A pistol hanging over your loins is no great
trouble to you, and looks as though you could bite. Many a dog goes
through the world well by merely showing his teeth."
And then my companion began to talk of himself. "He did not," he said,
"mean to remain in Syria very long."
"Nor I either," said I. "I have done with this part of the world for the
present, and shall take the next steamer from Jaffa for Alexandria. I
shall only have one night in Jerusalem on my return."
After this he remained silent for a few moments and then declared that
that also had been his intention. He was almost ashamed to say so,
however, because it looked as though he had resolved to hook himself
on to me. So he answered, expressing almost regret at the circumstance.
"Don't let that trouble you," said I; "I shall be delighted to have your
company. When you know me better, as I hope you will do, you will
find that if such were not the case I should tell you so as frankly. I shall
remain in Cairo some little time; so that beyond our arrival in Egypt, I
can answer for nothing."
He said that he expected letters at Alexandria which would govern his
future movements. I thought he seemed sad as he said so, and imagined,
from his manner, that he did not expect very happy tidings. Indeed I
had made up my mind that he was by no means free from care or
sorrow. He had not the air of a man who could say of himself that he
was "totus teres atque rotundus." But I had no wish to inquire, and the
matter would have dropped had he not himself added--"I fear that I
shall meet acquaintances in Egypt whom it will give me no pleasure to
see."

"Then," said I, "if I were you, I would go to Constantinople
instead;--indeed, anywhere rather than fall among friends who are not
friendly. And the nearer the friend is, the more one feels that sort of
thing. To my way of thinking, there is nothing on earth so pleasant as a
pleasant wife; but then, what is there so damnable as one that is
unpleasant?"
"Are you a married man?" he inquired. All his questions were put in a
low tone of voice which seemed to give to them an air of special
interest, and made one almost feel that they were asked with some
special view to one's individual welfare. Now the fact is, that I am a
married man with a family; but I am not much given to talk to strangers
about my domestic concerns, and, therefore, though I had no particular
object in view, I denied my obligations in this respect. "No," said I; "I
have not come to that promotion yet. I am too frequently on the move
to write myself down as Paterfamilias."
"Then you know nothing about that pleasantness of which you spoke
just now?"
"Nor of the unpleasantness, thank God; my personal experiences are all
to come,--as also are yours, I presume?"
It was possible that he had hampered himself with some woman, and
that she was to meet him at Alexandria. Poor fellow! thought I. But his
unhappiness was not of that kind. "No," said he; "I am not married; I
am all alone in the world."
"Then I certainly would not allow myself to be troubled by unpleasant
acquaintances."
It was now four hours since we had left Jerusalem, and we had arrived
at the place at which it was proposed that we should breakfast. There
was a large well there, and shade afforded by a rock under which the
water sprung; and the Arabs had constructed a tank out of which the
horses could drink, so that the place was ordinarily known as the first
stage out of Jerusalem.
Smith had said not a word about