I suppose an Arab feels the same sensation when a Westerner lords it over him on highly moral grounds.

At any rate, something or other in the way of pique urged me to stir him out of his self-complacency, just as one feels urged to prod a bull-frog to watch him jump.
He seemed to understand my remarks, for he took no trouble to hide his amusement at my efforts with the language.

But he only answered in monosyllables, and I could not understand those.

So after about five minutes I gave it up, and crossed the room to ben Nazir, who seized the opportunity to show me my sleeping-quarters.
It proved to be a room like a monastery cell, up one flight of stone steps, with two other rooms of about the same size on either side of it.

At the end of the passage was a very heavy wooden door, with an iron lock and an enormous keyhole, which I suppose shut off the harem from the rest of the house; but as I never trespassed beyond it I don't know.