It was he who gave orders to the servants in a bullying tone of voice; he who begged every one be seated.
Anazeh looked at the bottles of brandy--looked at me--and prayed under his breath; or, at any rate, it looked and sounded like a prayer.

He may have been swearing.

He and I were not very far from the door; the seats near the head of the table had all been taken.

I sat down at once, so as not to be conspicuous, but Anazeh remained standing so long that at last Abdul Ali called to him to sit down and eat his fill, using the offensively magnanimous tone of voice that some men can achieve without an effort.

I think Anazeh had been waiting for just that opening.
"I have twenty men outside," he announced.