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The next day the end of it all came. Henry Withers had pondered, and his mind was made up to do a certain thing. Towards evening he sat alone in the room where Macnamara lay asleep–almost his very last sleep. All at once Macnamara’s eyes opened wide. “Kitty, Kitty, me darlin’,” he murmured vaguely. Then he saw Henry Withers.

“I’m dyin’,” he said, breathing heavily. “Don’t call anny one, Hinry,” he added brokenly. “Dyin’s that aisy–aisy enough, but for wan thing.”

“‘Ere, speak out, Pete.”

“Sure, there’s no wan but you, Withers, not a wife nor a child av me own to say, ‘Poor Peter Macnamara, he is gone.”‘

“There’s one,” said Henry Withers firmly. “There’s one, old pal.”

“Who’s that?” said Macnamara huskily. “Kitty.”

“She’s no wife,” said Macnamara, shaking his head. “Though she’d ha’ been that, if it hadn’t been for Mary Malone.”

“She’s mine, an’ she ‘as the marriage lines,” said Henry Withers. “An’ there’s a kid-wich ain’t mine–born six months after! ‘Oo says no kid won’t remark, ‘Poor Peter Macnamara, ‘ee is gone, wich’ee was my fader!”‘

Macnamara trembled; the death-sweat dropped from his forehead as he raised himself up.

“Kitty–a kid av mine–and she married to Hinry Withers–an’ you saved me, too!–” Macnamara’s eyes were wild.

Henry Withers took his hand.

“‘Ere, it’s all right, old pal,” he said cheerfully. “What’s the kid’s name?” said Macnamara. “Peter–same as yours.”

The voice was scarce above a breath. “Sure, I didn’t know at all. An’ you forgive me, Hinry darlin’, you forgive me?”

“I’ve nothing to forgive,” said Henry Withers.

A smile lighted the blanched face of the dying man. “Give me love to the b’y–to Peter Macnamara,” he said, and fell back with a smile on his face.

“I’d do it again. Wot’s a lie so long as it does good?” said Henry Withers afterwards to Holgate the engineer. “But tell ‘er–tell Kitty–no fear! I ain’t no bloomin’ fool. ‘E’s ‘appy–that’s enough. She’d cut me ‘eart out, if she knowed I’d lied that lie.”

GLOSSARY

Aiwa, effendi—-Yea, noble sir. Allah—-God. Allah-haly ‘m alla-haly—-A singsong of river-workers. Allah Kerim—-God is bountiful. Allshu Akbar—-God is most Great. A’l’meh—-Female professional singers Antichi—-Antiquities.

Backsheesh—-Tip, douceur, bribe. Balass—-Earthen vessel for carrying water. Basha—-Pasha. Bersim—-Grass. Bimbashi—-Major. Bishareen—-A native tribe. Bismillah—-In the name of God. Bowab—-A doorkeeper.

Corvee—-Forced labour.

Dahabeah—-A Nile houseboat with large lateen sails.

Darabukkeh—-A drum made of a skin stretched over an earthenware funnel. Doash—-(Literally) Treading. A ceremony performed on the return of the Holy Carpet from Mecca.

Dourha—-Maize.

Effendina—-Highness. El aadah—-The ordinary. El Azhar—-The Arab University at Cairo. Fantasia—-Celebration with music, dancing, and processions. Farshoot—-The name of a native tribe. Fatihah—-The opening chapter of the Koran, recited at weddings, etc.

Feddan—-The most common measure of land–a little less than an acre. Also dried hay. Fellah (plu. fellaheen)—-The Egyptian peasant. Felucca—-A small boat, propelled by oars or sails. Fessikh—-Salted fish. Ghaffirs—-Humble village officials.

Ghawdzee—-The tribe of public dancing-girls. A female of this tribe is called “Ghazeeyeh,” and a man “Ghazee,” but the plural Ghawazee is generally understood as applying to the female.

Ghimah—-The Mahommedan Sunday.

Gippy—-Colloquial name for an Egyptian soldier.

Goolah—-Porous water-jar of Nile mud.

Hakim—-Doctor.

Hanouti—-Funeral attendants. Hari-kari—-An Oriental form of suicide. Hashish—-Leaves of hemp. Inshallah—-God willing. Jibbeh—-Long coat or smock, worn by dervishes. Kavass—-An orderly. Kemengeh—-A cocoanut fiddle. Khamsin—-A hot wind of Egypt and the Soudan.

Khedive—-The title granted in 1867 by the Sultan of Turkey to the ruler of Egypt. Khiassa—-Small boat. Khowagah—-Gentleman. Koran—-The Scriptures of the Mahommedans. Kourbash—-A stick, a whip.

La ilaha illa-llah—-There is no God but God. Mafish—-Nothing. Magnoon—-Fool. Malaish—-No matter. Mamour—-A magistrate. Mankalah—-A game. Mastaba—-A bench. Mejidieh—-A Turkish Order. Mirkaz—-District. Moghassils—-Washers of the dead. Moufetish—-High steward. Mudir—-A Governor of a Mudirieh or province. Muezzin—-The sheikh of the mosque who calls to prayer. Mushrabieh—-Lattice window.

Naboot—-Quarter staff. Narghileh—-The Oriental tobacco-pipe. Nehar-ak koom said—-Greeting to you. Omdah—-The head of a village.

Ooster—-One of the best sort.

Ramadan—-The Mahommedan season of fasting. Reis—-Pilot.

Saadat el basha—-Excellency.

Sais—-Groom.

Sakkia—-Persian water-wheel.

Salaam—-A salutation of the East; an obeisance, performed by bowing very low and placing the right palm on the forehead and on the breast.

Sarraf—-An accountant.

Shadoof—-Bucket and pole used by natives for lifting water.

Sha’er—-A reciter. (The singular of Sho’ara, properly signifying a poet.)

Sheikh-el-beled—-Head of a village.

Shintiyan—-Very wide trousers, worn by the women of the middle and higher orders.

Sitt—-“The Lady.”

Tarboosh—-Fez or native turban. Tarah—-A veil for the head.

Ulema—-Learned men.

Waled—-A boy. Wekeel—-A deputy. Welee—-A favourite of Heaven; colloquially a saint.

Yashmak—-A veil for the lower part of the face. Yelek—-A long vest or smock, worn over the shirt and shintiyan.

Zeriba—-A palisade