All depended on the motives of the illustrious Abdul Ali.

This stranger from America--he glared balefully at me--should be investigated thoroughly.

As a man of vast experience with the interests of El-Islam at heart, he offered respectfully to examine this stranger thoroughly with the aid of an interpreter.

He confessed to certain suspicions; should they prove unfounded, then it might be reasonable to credit the rest of Abdul Ali's statements; if not, no.

He was willing, if the honourable mejlis saw fit, to take the stranger aside and put many questions to him.
When he had finished you could actually physically feel the suspicion directed at me.