When evening came I was still within the confines of the Desert,
and my tent was pitched as usual; but one of my Arabs stalked away
rapidly towards the west, without telling me of the errand on which
he was bent. After a while he returned; he had toiled on a
graceful service; he had travelled all the way on to the border of
the living world, and brought me back for token an ear of rice,
full, fresh, and green.
The next day I entered upon Egypt, and floated along (for the
delight was as the delight of bathing) through green wavy fields of
rice, and pastures fresh and plentiful, and dived into the cold
verdure of groves and gardens, and quenched my hot eyes in shade,
as though in deep, rushing waters.
CHAPTER XVIII--CAIRO AND THE PLAGUE {30}
Cairo and plague! During the whole time of my stay the plague was
so master of the city, and showed itself so staringly in every
street and every alley, that I can't now affect to dissociate the
two ideas.
When coming from the Desert I rode through a village which lies
near to the city on the eastern side, there approached me with busy
face and earnest gestures a personage in the Turkish dress.
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