The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 147: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A MONTH IN THE MOON. 531 -“ At length the public curiosity began to wane, the profits fell. One day I learned that I had been sold to the Khedive of Egypt, who gave me to his children, just as he would have given them a pony ora clockwork car- riage. From that time forward I never saw the infamous authors of my misery until one day on the Peak of Tehbali I met them face to face in this very hall. Long years had gone by. But I need not tell you that my hatred had but grown more intense day by day. ‘“Tiving in the palace as if I had been some curious animal, I had yet the opportunity of acquiring knowledge. The Khedive, who was an intel- ligent man himself, spared nothing for the education of his children. ‘They had the best masters in Europe. I was present at the lessons, and listened attentively, while they yawned. | ‘‘In this way I learned history, the natural and physical sciences, mathe- matics, and languages. I was careful not to let it be perceived that I trea- sured up the store of learning, lest I might be banished from the study room. It was delightful to feel that the Khedive himself was providing me with the weapons wherewith one day I vowed to wipe out this humiliating bondage. 7 ‘“My heart grew with my knowledge. I would be revenged, not only on the direct authors of my misery, but on all who were in any way connected with them. I loathed the whole human race. I had dreams of crushing them under my feet one day, when science and strength that comes with knowl- edge should far outweigh and overshadow the accident of my deformed body ! ‘‘ Just when I had learned everything that my masters had to teach me, Arabi Pasha planned his revolt. I was one of the first to find it out, and to help him ; or, rather, I may say that he was a puppet in my hands. But we were betrayed, and Arabi was exiled to Ceylon, whither I accompanied him. ‘hen I enlarged my sphere of action. The revolt had taught me mili- tary tactics. Some fakirs near Point de Galle initiated me into secrets that would ‘be all powerful over eastern imaginations. Then it®@was that I de- termined to make Mussulman fanaticism—which was even then rampant throughout the Upper Nile—the lever and instrument of my future power. I escaped from Ceylon, and came to Suakim, where I commenced my new career by ingratiating myself with the Mogaddem of Rhadameh, and, for my own ends, doing all in my power to increase his influence. ‘“’The Mahdi was now daily growing in prestige. I turned my eyes to him, feeling sure that he would be easily dazzled by my occult powers, and would be a mere tool in my hands. It was then that I had occasion to come to Teh- bali, and there found Gryphins and Vogel. ‘This chance meeting changed the course of my plans. I still intended to conquer the Soudan and Egypt, and by their means the whole Mussulman world, in order to let it loose upon Europe ; but, first of all, I wished to be revenged on my tormentors by strik- ing down at once what was conceived to be their enterprise. “That is why I dogged your footsteps, and had you watched, that I might seize the first favorable opportunity. You know the rest—how I became GOMIGDOOKSEEO