"
"But why can't I bribe him?" Victoria persisted, hopefully. "If he's
truly tired of you, my money----"
"He'd laugh at you for offering it, and say you might keep it for a
_dot_. He's too rich to be tempted with money, unless it was far more
than you or I have ever seen. From his oasis alone he has an income of
thousands and thousands of dollars; and presents--large ones and small
ones--come to him from all over North Africa--from France, even. All the
Faithful in the desert, for hundreds of miles around, give him their
first and best dates of the year, their first-born camels, their first
foals, and lambs, and mules, in return for his blessing on their palms
and flocks. He has wonderful rugs, and gold plate, and jewels, more than
he knows what to do with, though he's very charitable. He's obliged to
be, to keep up his reputation and the reputation of the Zaouia.
Everything depends on that--all his ambitions, which he thinks I hardly
know. But I do know. And that's why I know that Maieddine will be able
to bribe him. Not with money: with something Cassim wants and values far
more than money. You wouldn't understand what I mean unless I explained
a good many things, and it's hardly the time for explaining more now.
You must just take what I say for granted, until I can tell you
everything by and by. But there are enormous interests mixed up with the
marabout's ambitions--things which concern all Africa.
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