noon
The epidemic was spreading from Old Cairo to the European quarters . I was visiting from thirty to forty sick persons daily , practising venous injections in every case . I was suffering from liver trouble , anæmia was playing havoc with me , and I was dropping with fatigue . In order to husband my strength , I took a little rest at noon . I was accustomed , after luncheon , to lie down in the inner courtyard of my house , and there for an hour I bathed myself in the African shade , as dense and cool as water . One day , as I was lying there on a divan in my courtyard , just as I was lighting a cigarette , I saw Selim approaching . With his beautiful bronze arm he lifted the door-curtain , and came towards me in his blue robe .