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THE
CHAPTER VI
Our Dragoman
first time
were in the
I ever visited the bazars of Cairo wc
Tentmakers' Suk with the Major, who
was buying a pair of Arab slippers. The Major is a very
big man and takes a very large shoe. The shoemaker drew
attention to his infirmity and wished to charge him double
for it. Suddenly an unfamiliar and guttural voice said, as we
thought, " These very large shoes made for the Irish." As the
Major was an Irishman, the remark seemed appropriate ; but
we knew afterwards that Ali meant the Arish—or Bedawin
of the Eastern Desert, who enliven the streets of Cairo.
The voice belonged to a tall, strange Arab, with a face
like the hawk-headed Horus. He was dressed in a neat
turban and a fine blue cloth galabeah, but no socks, only
very pointed scarlet shoes. This was Ali.
As he made the cobbler charge the Major a single fare
for his shoes, we allowed him to accompany us. He said
that he wanted no money. But I knew that it was only
Arab duplicity to represent that the pleasure of our company
was sufficient reward for the morning's work, so I said that
I would give him a shilling at the end of the morning, and
that if this was not satisfactory to him, it would be more
satisfactory to us for him to leave us at once. He said :
" I come ; money no matter." He may have expected
money off commissions, or he may have had nothing
particular to do, and been interested in our caravan, which
included two well-dressed women. Arabs are very susceptible
to feminine smartness.
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