THE ROAD TO RUIN. 91 to compel him to sell his lands, at any sacrifice The Pashas and the large native landowners could not be treated in so summary a fashion. But under one form or another they were called upon to contribute forced loans to meet the never-ceasing demands of the Government ; and in consideration of these loans they were allowed to recoup themselves by extorting from the fellaheen whatever meagre pittance they were left possessed of after the visits of the tax-gatherer. The only class of the Egyptian community exempt from the clutches of the Mufettish were the foreign residents, who, under the Capitulations, could not be legally taxed in any way while, as against illegal exactions, they were secured by the action of the Powers, whose protection they claimed, either as born or as naturalized subjects. The local usurers, for the most part Levantine Greeks, battened on the sufferings of the fellaheen. Having agents of their own all over the country, they knew which of the natives were at their wits' end to meet the demands of the Government collectors, and offered to advance the sum required on the security of the growing crops. The rate of interest varied from /«' 12 per cent to 20 per cent a month, according to ( ' ■ the need of the borrowers, while payment had to r be made either in money or in kind, at the option j of the lender. When the crop was ready for the harvest, the usurer sent an agent to squat on the ground mortgaged for the loan, and to supervise the gathering of the crops. It was the money-lender