Yussuf the Guide Part 7

"Such rudeness. Savages!" snorted out Mr Burne. "Don't believe they know what a pocket-handkerchief is."

"I beg your pardon," said the Turk, turning round and smiling as he spoke in excellent English, "I think you will find we do, but we have not the use for them here that you have in England."

"I--er--er--er. Bless my soul, sir! I beg your pardon," cried the old lawyer. "I did not know you understood English, or--"

"Pray, say no more, sir," said the Turkish gentleman gravely. And he turned to cross the street.

"Snubbed! Deserved it!" cried Mr Burne, taking off his straw hat, and doubling his fist, as if he were going to knock the crown out. "Let this be a lesson to you, Lawrence. Bless me! Thought I was among savages. Time I travelled."

"You forgot that you were still amongst steam, and post-offices, and telegraph wires, and--"

"Bless me! yes," cried Mr Burne; "and, look there, an English name up, and Ba.s.s's pale ale. Astonis.h.i.+ng!"

Just then the Greek guide stopped and pointed to a private house as being the English consul's, and upon entering they were at once shown into a charmingly furnished room, in which were a handsome bronzed middle-aged gentleman, in earnest conversation with a tall masculine-looking lady with some pretensions to beauty, and a little easy-looking man in white flannel, a gla.s.s in one eye, and a very high s.h.i.+rt collar covered with red spots, as if a number of cochineal insects had been placed all over it at stated intervals and then killed.

He was smooth-faced all but a small moustache; apparently about thirty; plump and not ill-favoured, though his hair was cut horribly close; but a spectator seemed to have his attention taken up at once by the spotted collar and the eye-gla.s.s.

"Glad to see you, Mr Preston," said the bronzed middle-aged man. "You too, Mr Burne. And how are you, Mr Grange? I hope you have borne the voyage well. Let me introduce you," he continued, after shaking hands, "to our compatriots Mr and Mrs Charles Chumley. We can't afford, out here, not to know each other."

Mutual bowing took place, and the consul continued:

"Mr and Mrs Chumley are bound on the same errand as you are--a trip through the country here."

"Yes," said the gentleman; "we thought--"

"Hush, Charley! don't," interrupted the lady; "let me speak. Are you Professor Preston?"

"My name is Preston," said the professor, bowing.

"Glad to meet you. Mr Chumley and I are going to do Turkey this year.

Mr Thompson here said that you and your party were going to travel. He had had letters of advice. We are going to start directly and go through the mountains; I suppose you will do the same."

"No," said the professor calmly; "we are going to take steamer round to one of the southern ports and start from there."

"Oh, I say, what a pity!" said the little gentleman, rolling his head about in his stiff collar, where it looked something like a ball in a cup. "We might have helped one another and been company."

"I wish you would not interfere so, Charley," cried the lady. "You know what I said."

"All right, Agnes," said the little gentleman dolefully. "Are you people staying at Morris's?"

"Yes," said the professor.

"So are we. See you at dinner, perhaps."

"Charley!" exclaimed the lady in tones that were quite Amazonic, they were so deep and stern.

Then a short conversation took place with the consul, and the strange couple left, leaving their host free to talk to the other visitors.

"I had very kind letters from Mr Linton at the Foreign Office respecting you, gentlemen," said the consul.

"I know Linton well," said the professor.

"He is an old friend of mine too," said the consul. "Well, I have done all I could for you."

"About pa.s.sports or what is necessary?" said the professor.

"I have a properly-signed firman for you," said the consul smiling; "and the showing of that will be sufficient to ensure you good treatment, help, and protection from the officials in every town. They will provide you with zaptiehs or cava.s.ses--a guard when necessary, and generally see that you are not molested or carried off by brigands, or such kind of folk."

"But is it a fact, sir," said Mr Burne, "that you have real brigands in the country?"

"Certainly," said the consul smiling.

"What! in connection with postal arrangements, and steam, and telegraphs?"

"My dear sir, we have all these things here; but a score or so of miles out in the country, and you will find the people, save that firearms are common, just about as they were a thousand years ago."

"Bless my heart!" exclaimed Mr Burne.

"It is a fact, sir; and I should advise great care, not only as to whom you trust among the people, but as to your health. The country is in a horrible state of neglect; the government does nothing."

"But I do not see how that is to affect us," said the professor, "especially as we have that firman."

"It will not affect you in the more settled districts, but you may run risks in those which are more remote. I have been warning Mr and Mrs Chumley about the risks, but the lady laughed and said that she always carried a revolver."

"Bless me!" exclaimed Mr Burne, "a lady with a revolver! She would not dare to fire it."

"I don't know about that," said the professor.

"Of course," continued the consul, "I am at your service, Mr Preston.

If you are in need of aid, and are anywhere within reach of the telegraph wires, pray send to me and I will do my best. Can I do anything more for you?"

This was a plain hint to go, for it was evident that others were waiting for an interview with the representative of England; so a friendly farewell was taken and the little party returned to the hotel.

"I'm glad you decided to go a different way to those people, Preston,"

said Mr Burne.

"The decision was made on the instant, my dear sir; for I did mean to start from here."

"Ah, you thought those people would be a nuisance?"

"Indeed I did."

The professor had hardly spoken when Lawrence touched his arm; for the parties alluded to approached, and the lady checked her lord, who was going to speak, by saying:

"I thought I would give you a hint about going pretty well-armed. You will not have to use your weapons if you let the people see that you have them."

"Arms, ma'am! Stuff! rubbis.h.!.+" cried Mr Burne. "The proper arms of an Englishman are the statutes at large, bound in law calf, with red labels on their back."

"Statutes at large!" said the lady wonderingly.