He was irritable and purposeless.
Out of the low door that opened into the lewen of the khan he caught glimpses of the town spread over the tilt of the hill before him.

It had become active since he had looked upon it in the very early hours of the day.

Over the gate he could see the toss of canopies and the heads of camels passing; he could hear the ring of mule-hooves on the stones and the tramp of wayfarers.

There were shoutings and debate; the cries of servants and the gossip of parties.

All this moved on always in the direction of Jerusalem.