Here, like a beast in a trap, uttering abortive groans, toothless, stupid, powerless, mad.No, no, not mad, either! Tell me, boy, I am not mad!"In the breaking waters of his madness he was struggling like a drowning man."Yet I do not weep," he cried in a thick voice.
"God has a right to do as He will.He gave her to me for seventeen years.
If she dies she'll be mine again soon.Only if she lives--only if she falls into evil hands--Tell me, _have_ I been mad?"He gave no time for an answer."Naomi!" he cried, and the name broke in his throat."Where are you now? What has--who have--your father is thinking of you--he is--No, I will not weep.You see I have a good cause, but I tell you I will never weep.God has a right--Naomi!--Na--"
The name thickened to a sob as he repeated it, and then suddenly he rose and cried in an awful voice, "Oh, I'm a fool! God has done nothing for me.Why should I do anything for God? He has taken all I had.He has taken my child.I have nothing more to give Him but my life.Let Him take that too.Take it, I beseech Thee!"he cried--the vault of the prison rang--" Take it, and set me free!"But at the next moment he had fallen back to his place, and was sobbing like a little child.The other prisoners had risen in their amazement, and 'Larby, who was shedding hot tears over his cold ones, was capering down the floor, and singing, "El Arby was a black man."Then there was a rattling of keys, and suddenly a flood of light shot into the dark place.The Kaid el habs was bringing a courier, who carried an order for Israel's release.Abd er-Rahman, the Sultan, was to keep the feast of the Moolood at Tetuan, and Ben Aboo, to celebrate the visit, had pardoned Israel.
It was coals of fire on Israel's head."God is good," he muttered.
"I shall see her again.Yes, God has a right to do as He will.