Talbot Mundy

“ De Crespigny held one hand up for silence and because they were used to giving him a hearing they gave him a last one now.
“Now for your own sakes, don’t be fools! You can kill me; that’s easy. You can loot the Governorate, although you’ll find that tough work and not worthwhile. Then you can start for Jerusalem; and the Sikhs will meet you on the way! I’ve done my best for you. If you’ll go back to your homes now there shall be no reprisals for this night’s work. Go home, and act like sensible men!” ”

“ Ali Baba turned up with his sixteen sons.
“What do you want here?” asked de Crespigny.
“They are coming to kill you officers.”
“Well?”
“I and my sons have pledged ourselves to be your friends. Give us guns. We will fight for you until the end comes.”
“I’ve got no guns, O father of true promises.”
“Taib. We have knives.”
There wasn’t any comment you could make exactly. De Crespigny shook hands with him and Jones posted them in the hall, where in a free-for-all fight against an invading mob knives could be used to the best advantage. ”

“ They wanted nothing on earth so much as a crowd to glut their temper on and stood about outside, grumbling their disappointment. But one enormous man with a beard like the man’s on the chutney-bottle in the grocer’s window thrust his way into the Governorate, calling aloud for Jimgrim. ”