"Save your pious lectures for fledglings who may be impressed!" Mimico
snapped. "If the will of Allah were truly what men proclaim it to be,
you would have been shriveled by His wrath on a certain night when you
left Mecca in a very great hurry."
Ali said nothing. Gray November skies had prevailed when he joined the
company on the _Supply_ and had his first meeting with Mimico. This was
June in a new land, and never once had Mimico even intimated that he knew
of the incident in Mecca. Mentioning it now was a breach of etiquette,
but Ali did not forget that Mimico was both sick and heartbroken.
After a moment, "Forgive me, my friend!" Mimico implored. "I shall not
make my own hurt less painful by inflicting hurt upon you!"