NASSUK. 
149 
When the messenger delivered to Yakoob Lais the 
broken sword sent by Dherm-ben-Nassuk, the pur- 
port of the reply was immediately understood by all 
present, and naturally excited great anger and indig- 
nation. The captain, however, coolly took the broken 
weapon from the bearer, and, handing it to one of 
the armourers, ordered him to re-set the blade in the 
hilt ; declaring, that although the short-sightedness 
of Dherm-ben-Nassuk had only enabled him to anti- 
cipate one interpretation of the message, he himself 
could read in it a second, and the true solution 
“For,” said he, “the tyrant having by his own act 
broken his own power, has cast it into my hands, that 
I might repair and wield it for my own advantage, 
and that of my trusty followers. Yet, for the sake 
of those with whom I have broken the bread of 
friendship, I will, as long as is consistent with our 
safety, employ the shield of defence, rather than the 
sword of revenge ; even though our enemy is the 
aggressor, and one who has wantonly threatened us 
with a cruel extermination.” Little, indeed, as the 
bandit chief had expected so irritating a reply to his 
pacific remonstrance, his habitual caution had already 
devised and matured a plan of operations against such 
an event ; but as a part of his general policy was 
never to divulge his schemes beyond the senior 
officers, w T lio formed his council of war, he contented 
himself with assuring the band that he was fully 
prepared for the worst, and hoped to give Dherm- 
o 2 
