I now jumped from my horse, but I
perceived at once that he was unable to do so. He smiled faintly,
as his eye caught mine, but I knew that he wanted assistance. "Ah,"
said I, "that confounded Turkish saddle has already galled your
skin. I see how it is; I shall have to doctor you with a little
brandy,--externally applied, my friend." But I lent him my
shoulder, and with that assistance he got down, very gently and
slowly.
We ate our breakfast with a good will; bread and cold fowl and
brandy-and-water, with a hard-boiled egg by way of a final delicacy;
and then I began to bargain with Joseph for the loan of his English
saddle. I saw that Smith could not get through the journey with
that monstrous Turkish affair, and that he would go on without
complaining till he fainted or came to some other signal grief. But
the Frenchman, seeing the plight in which we were, was disposed to
drive a very hard bargain. He wanted forty shillings, the price of
a pair of live Bedouins, for the accommodation, and declared that,
even then, he should make the sacrifice only out of consideration to
me.
"Very well," said I.
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