Part 34 (1/2)
”Very odd,” observed John. ”He is not at all a prig.”
”No, indeed. He is as manly a fellow as you could meet, and at first sight he does not produce the impression of being so serious as he is. I think that is put on. He once told me that he had made a study of small talk and of the art of appearing well, because he thinks it so important in his career. I dare say he is right. He knows a great deal, and knows it thoroughly.”
”He does not know any more than Macaulay,” said John, as though in praising Paul I had attacked his son. ”What a clever fellow he is! I only wish he were a little tougher,--just a little more sh.e.l.l to him, I mean.”
”He will get that,” I answered. ”He is younger than Paul, and has not seen so much of the world.”
”You say you like Paul. Do you think he would make a good husband?”
”Yes, I really believe he would,” I replied. ”But do not take him on my recommendation. You must know him better yourself. You will meet many people here who know him, and some who know him well.”
”What do you think of that story about his brother?” asked John, looking at me very earnestly.
”I believe he is as innocent as you or I. But we are getting near the truth, and have made some valuable discoveries.”
I explained to Carvel what we had found, and without mentioning the name of Laleli Khanum I told him how far we had traced the mystery, and he listened with profound interest to my account.
”I hope you may find him alive,” he said, as we rose from the table.
”For my part, I do not believe we shall ever see him. Paul was alone with his mother this afternoon, and I dare say he told her what you have told me. She does not seem to object to the subject, though of course we generally avoid it.”
I stayed an hour longer with the party, during which time Paul talked a great deal to Hermione, occasionally joining in the general conversation, and certainly not trying to prevent what he said to the young girl from being heard. At last I took my leave and went home, for I was anxious to see Gregorios, and to hear from him what plan he proposed to adopt for the solution of our difficulties at this critical moment. I found him waiting for me.
”Have you made up your mind?” I asked.
Balsamides was sitting beside his table with a book. He looked even paler than usual, and was evidently more excited than he liked to own.
He is eminently a man who loves danger, and his nature never warms so genially as when something desperate is to be done. A Christian by race and belief, he has absorbed much of the fatalism of the Oriental races, and his courage is of the fatalist kind, reckless and devoted.
”Yes,” he answered. ”I have made up my mind. One must either be the camel or the camel-driver. One must either submit to the course of events, or do something to violently change their direction. If we submit much longer, we shall lose the game. The old woman will die,--the Turkish women always die when they are ill; and if she is once dead without confessing, we may give up all hope.”
”We should always have Selim to examine,” I remarked.
”If Laleli Khanum dies, Selim will disappear the same hour,--laying hands on everything within reach, of course. How could we catch him? He would cross the Bosphorus, put on a disguise of some sort, and make his way to Egypt in no time. Those fellows are very cunning.”
”Then you mean to try and extort a confession from Laleli herself? How in the world do you mean to do it? It is a case of life or death.”
”I have got life and death in my pocket,” answered Gregorios, his eyes beginning to sparkle. ”Can you read Turkish? Of course you can. Read that.”
I took the folded doc.u.ment and examined it.
”This is an Irade!” I exclaimed, in great surprise; ”an imperial order to arrest Laleli Khanum Effendi,--good heavens! Balsamides, I had no idea that you possessed such tools as this!”
”To tell you how I got it would be to tell you my own history during the last ten years,” he answered, in low tones. ”I trust you, Griggs, but there are other reasons why I cannot tell you all that. You see the result, at all events, and a result very dearly paid for,” he added gravely. ”But I have got the thing, and what is more, I have permission to personate the Sultan's private physician.”
”What is that for? I should think the Irade were quite enough.”
”Laleli might die of fright, if I merely presented myself and threatened to arrest her. But I shall see her in the a.s.sumed character of the court physician. Laleli is a Turkish woman, who understands no other language but her own and Greek. She is very superst.i.tious, and believes in all manner of charms and spells; for she has no ideas at all concerning Western science, except that it is all contrary to the Koran. I can talk the jargon of an old Hadji well enough, and besides I know something of medicine; very little, but enough to tell me whether she is absolutely in a dying state. It is a great compliment for the Sultan to send his private physician, and if she is in a conscious state she will be flattered and thrown off her guard. If I can manage to get her slaves out of the way, I may induce her to confess. If I fail in this, I have the means to frighten her. If she dies, I have the means of arresting Selim before he can escape. It is all very well arranged, and there is nothing to be done but to put the plan into execution. When you left me I had not got the Irade; it came about an hour ago.”
”How can I help you?” I asked.
”You must have a disguise, too. When the court physician is sent to visit a person of consequence, he is always accompanied by an adjutant from the palace. You must play this part. I have borrowed a uniform from a brother officer which will fit you. It is in your room, and I will help you to put it on. You need say nothing, nor answer any questions the slaves may put to you unless you are quite sure of your words. You have a very military figure, and the sight of a uniform acts like magic on fellows like the Lala and his companions. As I am an adjutant myself, I can tell you exactly what to do, so that no one could detect you. Are you willing to try?”