Page:The Burton Holmes lectures; (IA burtonholmeslect04holm).pdf/96

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KABYLE HOUSES

representatives of God, is still considerable, and as long as it endures, the French will find in them the bitterest and most effective enemies of progress. The reverence with which our boy companion greeted the aged saint proved how deeply he was impressed by the supposed holiness of the old fraud. I do not hesitate to call him such, for to my respectful compliments he replied, "Yes, you are right. I am a very holy man; you ought to give me money." Of course we made a contribution, and when we saw the miserable pilgrims lying roundabout rolled in straw mats, and learned that they all receive at the hands of our saintly host both food and shelter, we did not in the least begrudge the gift. Still we could not but distrust the charitable