PZ 1654/31 'Mr Philby's conversion to Islam' [‎45r] (41/58)

He went on to Taif, where he was allotted
apartments and admitted as a member of the King's
private "mejlls". Everyone, even the most verminous
Bedouin, Is admitted to the public "mejlls", which la
held dally, tmt admission to what amounts to the King's
Privy Council Is restricted to about fifteen persons, of
whom some eight or nine are Syrians - I won't give you
all their names. Talk ranges far and wide at the
private "mejlls" (the King’s Arabic being often
understood hardly at all, except by the Nejdis) and
generally seems to end up with women. I learned a
great deal more In the same strain from Phllby, who
seemed to feel the need to unbosom himself of the
delights of his new-found sphere, to which Islam is
merely the key#
I also met him twice publicly# He invited me to
a tea-party for the local notables, at which the
French Consul and myself, the only unbelievers present,
were let in for a series of harangues on the tenets and
virtues of Islam; Phllby had the decency to apologise
afterwards. Another day, at dinner, he talked a great
deal about Pan-Arablsm. He is an absolute fanatic on
this subject, and although he declares that the King is
continually holding forth to his entourage about his
royal confidence in Great Britain and his wish to avoid
any conflict with her while she remains on his frontiers
(and this point is always stressed), I have no doubt
at all that Philby is now one of the foremost in
keeping the great ideal of a Pan-Arabia well in the
foreground of discussion and endeavour. He can see no