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THE RHINOCEROS WHIP
35

went with him, after carefully concealing the now famous whip. I suppose they went off to some tavern to discuss the wonderful adventure more at length; for I supped alone, and had been some time stretched upon my mattress on the floor before Rashid came in and spread his bed beside me.

‘Art thou awake, O my dear lord?’ he whispered. ‘By Allah, thou didst wrong to give that sergeant any money. I had made thy name so great that but to look on thee was fee sufficient for a poor, lean dog like him.’

He then was silent for so long a while that I imagined he had gone to sleep. But, suddenly, he whispered once again:

“O my dear lord, forgive me the disturbance, but hast thou our revolver safe?’

“By Allah, yes! Here, ready to my hand.’

“Good. But it would be better for the future that I should bear our whip and our revolver. I have made thy name so great that thou shouldst catry nothing.’

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