Also, from Nahoum's spies he learned of plots and counterplots, chiefly on Achmet's part; and these he hid from Kaid, while he trusted Nahoum--and not without reason, as yet.
The day of Nahoum's wrath and revenge was not yet come; it was his deep design to lay the foundation for his own dark actions strong on a rock of apparent confidence and devotion.

A long torture and a great over-whelming was his design.

He knew himself to be in the scheme of a master-workman, and by-and-by he would blunt the chisel and bend the saw; but not yet.

Meanwhile, he hated, admired, schemed, and got a sweet taste on his tongue from aiding David to foil Achmet--Higli and Diaz were of little account; only the injury they felt in seeing the sluices being closed on the stream of bribery and corruption kept them in the toils of Achmet's conspiracy.

They had saved their heads, but they had not learned their lesson yet; and Achmet, blinded by rage, not at all.
Achmet did not understand clemency.