I said, Not at all: our funds in handwould cover
it, and more. Theyounger ones instantly rushed forward at a gallop. It might be
fraud or itmight be farce: no one should say that I could not play it. Allenbys plan
hadseemed modest, and that we should so fall down before the Arabs wasdeplorable.
Tocomfort him, I pointed out that it now meant nothing to us. He sent me back his
supposed accountof the spent money.
Thence we turned back to Tafileh,after a
reconnaissance very assuring for our future.
We tore his clothes away andlooked uselessly at the
wound.
The guns and machine-guns werealso promised. War
was made up ofcrises of intense effort. In half an hour wewere making for Themed,
across the deserted line. We tried to move him, for he was helpless, though he
showed no pain. His camel stood unharmed by thebridge, alone.
In three hours we were on the summit, andfound it
wind-swept on the western side.
Imaintained the frugality of the Turks, that
shambling, ragged army ofserfs. After this I determined to order the Indians from
Azrak back to Feisal,and to return myself. I stared at him, and said, softly, God is
merciful.
Chargeable against my conceit were thecauseless,
ineffectual deaths of Hesa.
My men, fresh after the holiday in the Atatir,
begged me to ride onthem.
We showed a coyness, and good turn of speed for
gipsywomen, and escaped intact. They were hidden inthe shadows, covering us with
their Lewis guns. Feisal and Jaafar liked the scheme,but their officers clamoured
for direct attack on Maan.
I askedhow they could look with pleasure on
children, embodied proofs of theirconsummated lust?
His senseof fitness remodelled our standing.