human
I am grateful, he said,
gpt
Then he went on, without giving me time to answer,
human
I am a beggar by day, and the beggars' king at night, as you see. This is my existence. It has its adventures, its pleasures; this meeting is one of the highest. It reminds me that I have English blood in my veins. Besides, if I help you I shall help myself to revenge. My father was English, but turned Mohammedan for the love of my mother. English was the first language I learned to speak. In the days of Ismail I was in his army--an officer. I was proud of my English blood and I promised my aid to an Englishman--an officer, too, named Annesley--aid against one of my own religion. I helped him to run away with a beautiful woman. He escaped with her. I was caught, wounded, and cruelly punished. My career was at an end--my money gone. Lame and penniless, I had no power to take revenge. Many years have passed. I was young then. Now, I am old. The man who broke me is dead, but his children live--twins, a son and a daughter. They have come home from some country far away, to their father's house. I saw them come--I, the lame beggar lying in the street, a Thing that does not count! Two women were with Essain, his sister and another who was ill--perhaps unconscious--lying upon a litter on camel back. The embroidery you saw, with the English words which I, too, could read--came from his house. It was brought by a negro, to-day, to the shop of Said ben Hassan, and put in his window an hour before you rode into Hathor Set. But Ben Hassan is afraid of Essain Pasha, the man I speak of, and he would never have told you anything about his house: he would only have lied and sent you off on a false track in repayment for your money. As for me, I can tell all you wish to know: and when you have honoured me by eating my food, I can show you the house. It is not more than a mile distant from the town. If you wish to injure Essain, so much the better. Because of what his father did to me, and because of your kindness, I should like to help you do it.
gpt
For God's sake, come with me now, I broke in at last.
human
You asked me here to dine, but a girl's life may be hanging in the balance. Her name is Madeleine Annesley. She must be the granddaughter of the man who was your friend, and the woman you helped him take. You speak of revenge! It is for revenge she has been brought here by the man you call Essain and his sister who is as wicked as himself. I never knew till I heard your story what that woman was to him, or why they worked together. But now I understand all--or nearly all. I love Madeleine Annesley, and I know she's in danger of her life.
gpt
I thought, said Haroun,