198
CAIRO TO DAMASCUS
"Why do you wish to see His Eminence?" he asked.
"I have admired him for ten years. To travel to Egypt without seeing our Grand Mufti would be like coming to Cairo
and not visiting the Pyramids."
"All the American journalists want to see him. He has refused them all."
"Don't confuse me with them. They all work for the Jewish
press."
"I will see. Wait here. But I warn you, don't walk around.
The guards don't know you."
Ten minutes later the young man returned to the porch
and escorted me past a long driveway. The entrance was cluttered with police and detectives. The driveway led into a
house set well back from the road—the Mufti's headquarters
at 12 Kemal street in the Hilmia Zeitoun section outside
Cairo. My guide led me to the adjoining building, where he
introduced me to Jacob Khoury, one of the Mufti's many
secretaries. I was asked to wait downstairs.
After an hour, Moustafa and Faris joined me. Khoury told
us to call tomorrow. We came again, and once again. Each
time Moustafa and Faris would see the Mufti while I waited,
fuming. I did not meet the Mufti in Cairo. I had to postpone
that experience until later.
GUNS—FOR ALLAH AND FOR PROFIT
IN THE taxi Faris asked me for a loan of fifty dollars. Was
this to be the price demanded for the arrangement to meet
the Mufti? And if I refused would Faris blackmail me? My
dislike for him grew hourly.
"Why do you want fifty dollars?" I asked.
"To buy more guns at bargain prices. I will pay you back in
Jerusalem."