Finally Abdul Ali got to his feet and said that if the Ichwan would see him alone he would show him certain documents that would satisfy him, but that it would not be policy to produce them in public.

He offered to send for the documents, and to show them during or after the banquet.
So Jimgrim sat down, and there was a good deal of quiet nudging and nodding.

Every one seemed to understand that the Ichwan was going to be bribed; they seemed to admire his ability to get for himself a share of the funds that most of them had tapped.
A man nearly opposite me leaned over and said in fairly good French, with the manner of a doctor assuring his patient that the worst is yet to come: "It has been decided that you are to be detained here in the castle until there is no danger of your carrying away important news." While I was turning that over in my mind Anazeh came back, grinning.

Something outside had tickled him immensely, but he would not say anything.

He sat down beside me and chuckled into his beard; and when his neighbour on the right asked what had amused him he turned the question into a bawdy joke.
"Did ben Hamza get away ?" I whispered.
He only nodded.