Yet my slave here was also wronged and would say a word to yonder Houman." "So be it," said the officer, "only let him be careful not to hurt him too sorely, lest he should die before the time and escape his punishment." Then Bes tucked up his robes and waded into the river, flourishing a great knife, while seeing him come, Houman began to scream with fear.
He reached the boat and bent over the eunuch, talking to him in a low voice.

What he did there I could not see because his cloak was spread out on either side of the man's head.

Presently, however, I caught sight of the flash of a knife and heard yells of agony followed by groans, whereat I called to him to return and let the fellow be.

For when I remembered that his fate was near to being my own, those sounds made me sick at heart and I grew angry with Bes, though the cruel Easterns only laughed.
At length he came back grinning and washing the blade of his knife in the water.

I spoke fiercely to him in my own language, and still he grinned on, making no answer.