“The boy, thy son,” remarked the reverend man, “is highly gifted and extremely diligent. Inshallah, he will live to be a light to El Islam, a glory to this land of Masr, and a worthy slave of the Most High. We have only one small fault to find with his behaviour, which is that, in his eagerness, he answers questions we address to other boys, and is inclined to argue with the teacher as if instruction were for him alone.”

His mother was delighted with this verdict, whose one restriction seemed to her the highest praise. She began to cherish visions of his future greatness, and with the aid of Umm ed-Dahak built grand castles in the air.

“Inshallah, he will rise to rule in Egypt; he will be the right hand of the Khedive, the chief vizier, the leader of the armies; the sword and shield of El Islam, the scourge of Allah on the heathen and all infidels.”

Thus Umm ed-Dahak, seated on the floor beside her mistress; who, reclining on the dais at ease with her narghile, removed the amber mouthpiece from her lips to sigh, “Inshallah!”