386 
fluence, fearing the increase of Elfi's power, waited for 
the moment of the arrival of his enemy to destroy him. 
Accordingly, he took steps to carry him off by poison; 
and even pushed his precautions so far, as to place some 
detachments of troops upon the road to assassinate him, 
in case he should escape the effects of the deadly po- 
tion. Unhappy Asiatic policy, always accompanied with 
daggers and poison! ! 
Elfi, suspicious of a plot against him, or perhaps hav- 
ing received some secret intelligence of the danger he 
Was in, escaped by the desert, on horseback, alone, 
without money, and destitute of every thing. It is re- 
lated, that during his flight, he entered, without know- 
ing it, the tent of a Bedouin, one of his enemies, at a 
moment when his wife was alone. Elfi, in the hope of 
obtaining some assistance, discovered his name to the 
woman, who, frighted at the danger he incurred, gave 
him some food and water, intreating him to withdraw 
immediately, as her husband was his most inveterate 
enemy. Elfi profited by her advice, and retired. The 
Bedouin having returned, .his wife told him the circum- 
stance that had passed during his absence. The former, 
full of fury, and at the same time animated with the 
most noble sentiments, exclaimed, " Wife, if I had 
found him here, I know not what I should have done: 
perhaps I should have killed him; but I should never- 
theless have slain you, if you had refused him hospi- 
tality and assistance." Admirable speech, the copy of 
one more ancient! 
All the magnificent furniture and precious effects 
which Elfi had brought from London, were, after his 
flight, stolen; part broken to pieces, and the rest sold. 
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