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“Well, don’t you call that an assault?” asked Lawrence.

“Certainly not,” replied the German. “You can’t use these natives without flogging them. We have men thrashed every day; it’s the only method.”

“We’ve been here longer than you have,” Lawrence retorted, “and have never beaten one of our men yet, and we don’t intend to let you start on them. That engineer of yours must come down with me to the village and apologize to Ahmed in public.”

Contzen laughed. “Nonsense!” he said, and then, turning his back; “the incident is closed.”

“On the contrary,” replied Lawrence, “if you don’t do as I ask I shall take the matter into my own hands.”

Contzen turned round again. “Which means—” he asked.

“That I shall take your engineer down to the village and there flog him!”

“You couldn’t and you daren’t do such a thing!” cried the scandalized German; but Lawrence pointed out that there was good reason for assuming that he both dared and could; and in the end the engineer had to make his apology coram publico, to the vast amusement of the villagers.