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 glass in one eye, and a very high
shirt 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-glass.
"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 passports 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 cavasses--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! rubbish!" 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.
"Yes, ma'am--the laws of his country, or the laws of the country where
he is; and the proper arms of a lady, madam, are her eyes."
"And her tongue," said the professor to himself, but not in so low a
voice that it was not heard by Lawrence, who gave him a sharp look full
of amusement.
Mrs Chumley smiled and bowed.
"Very pretty, sir!" she said; "but you forget that we are going to
travel through a country where the laws are often a mere name, and
people must take care of themselves."
"Take care of themselves--certainly, ma'am, but not by breaking the
laws. If a pack of vagabonds were to attack me I should hand them over
to the police, or apply at the nearest police-court for a summons. That
would be a just and equitable way of treating the matter."
"Where would you get your police, Burne? and whom would you get to serve
your summons if you could procure one?"
"Nearest town, sir--anywhere."
The lady laughed heartily, and her little husband rubbed his hands and
then patted her on the back.
"This lady is quite right, my dear Burne," said the professor. "I see
that we shall be obliged to go armed."
"Armed, sir!--armed?"
"Yes. We shall for the greater part of our time be in places where the
laws are of no avail, unless a body of troops are sent to enforce them."
"But then your firman will have furnished us with a Turkish soldier for
our protection."
"But suppose the Turkish soldier prefers running away to fighting?"
exclaimed the lady, "what then?"
"What then, ma'am?--what then?" cried the lawyer. "I flatter myself
that I should be able to quell the people by letting them know that I
was an English gentleman. Do you think that at my time of life I am
going to turn butcher and carve folks with a sword, or drill holes
through them with bullets?"
"Yes, sir, if it comes to a case of who is to be carved or drilled.
There!--think it over. Come, Charley! let's have our walk."
Saying which the lady nodded and smiled to the two elders, and was going
off in an assumed masculine way, when she caught sight of Lawrence lying
back in an easy-chair, and her whole manner changed as she crossed to
him and held out her hand with a sweet, tender, womanly look in her
eyes.
"Good-bye for the present!" she said. "You must make haste and grow
strong, so as to help me up the mountains if we meet somewhere farther
in."
CHAPTER SIX.
MR. BURNE TRIES A GUN.
"Now that's just what I hate in women," said the old lawyer, viciously
scattering snuff all over the place. "They put you in an ill temper,
and rouse you up to think all sorts of bitter things, and then just as
you feel ready to say them, they behave like that and disarm you. After
the way in which she spoke to Lawrence there I can't abuse her."
"No, don't, please, Mr Burne," said Lawrence warmly, and with his
cheeks flushing, "I am sure she is very nice when you come to know her."
"Can't be," cried the lawyer. "A woman who advocates fire and sword.
Bah!"
"But as a protection against fire and sword," said the professor
laughing.
"Tchah, sir! stuff!" cried the other. "Look here; I can be pretty
fierce when I like, and with you so big and strong, and with such a way
with you as you have--Bah! nonsense, sir, we shall want no arms."
"Well, I propose that we now consult the landlord."
"Oh, just as you like, sir; but if he advocates such a proceeding, I'm
not going to stalk through Turkey carrying fire-irons in my belt and
over my shoulder, like a sham footpad in a country show."
The landlord was summoned--a frank-looking Englishman, who listened to
all the professor said in silence and then replied:
"Mr Thompson the consul is quite right, sir. We are not in England
here, and though this is the nineteenth century the state of the country
is terribly lawless. You know the old saying about when at Rome."
"Do as the Romans do, eh?"
"Exactly, sir. Every second man you meet here even in the town goes
armed, even if his weapons are not seen, while in the country--quite in
the interior, it is the custom to wear weapons."
"Then I shall not go," said Mr Burne decisively. "If you ask my
advice, gentlemen, I should say, carry each of you a good revolver, a
knife or dagger, a sword, and a double-barrelled gun."
"Sword, dagger, and gun!" cried the professor. "Surely a revolver would
be sufficient."
"Why not push a nice large brass cannon before us in a wheel-barrow?"
said Mr Burne sarcastically, and then leaning back in his chair to
chuckle, as if he had said something very comical, and which he
emphasised by winking and nodding at Lawrence, who was too much
interested in the discussion upon weapons to heed him.
"A revolver is not sufficient, for more than one reason, gentlemen,"
said the landlord. "It is a deadly weapon in skilful hands; but you
will meet scores of people who do not understand its qualities, but who
would comprehend a sword or a gun. You do not want to have to use these
weapons."
"Use them, sir? Of course not," roared the lawyer. "Of course not,
sir," said the landlord. "If you go armed merely with revolvers you may
have to use them; but if you wear, in addition, a showy-looking sword
and knife, and carry each of you a gun, you will be so formidable in
appearance that the people in the different mountain villages will treat
you with the greatest of respect, and you may make your journey in
safety."
"This is very reasonable," said the professor.
"I assure you, sir, that in a country such as this is now such
precautions are as necessary as taking a bottle of quinine. And beside,
you may require your guns for game."
"The country is very fine, of course?"
"Magnificent, sir," replied the landlord; "but it is in ruins. The
neglect and apathy of the government are such that the people are like
the land--full of weeds. Why, you will hardly find a road fit to
traverse, and through the neglect of the authorities, what used to be
smiling plains are turned to fever-haunted marshes spreading pestilence
around."
"You will have to give way, Mr Burne," said the professor smiling, "and
dress like a bandit chief."
"Never, sir," cried the lawyer. "You two may, but I am going through
Asia Minor with a snuff-box and a walking-stick. Those will be enough
for me."
"Where can we get arms?" said the professor smiling.
"At Politanie's, sir, about fifty yards from here. You will find him a
very straightforward tradesman. Of course his prices are higher than
you would pay in London; but he will not supply you with anything that
is untrustworthy. Perhaps you may as well say that you are friends of
our consul, and that I advised you."
"It is absurd!" exclaimed Mr Burne, as soon as they were alone. "What
do you say, Lawrence, my boy? You don't believe in weapons of war, I'm
sure."
"No," replied Lawrence quietly.
"There, professor."
"But," continued Lawrence, "I believe in being safe. I feel sure that
the people will respect us all the more for being armed."
"And would you use a sword, sir?" cried the lawyer fiercely.
Lawrence drew his sleeve back from his thin arm, gazed at it mournfully,
and then looked up in a wistful half-laughing way at his two friends.
"I don't think I could even pull it out of the sheath," he said sadly.
"Come, Burne, you will have to yield to circumstances."
"Not I, sir, not I," said Mr Burne emphatically. "I have been too much
mixed up with the law all my life, and know its beauties too well, ever
to break it."
"But you will come with us to the gunsmith's?"
"Oh, yes, I'll come and see you fool away your money, only I'm not going
to have you carry loaded guns near me. If they are to be for show let
them be for show. There, I'm ready."
"You will lie down for an hour, Lawrence, eh?" said the professor; "it
is very hot." But the lad looked so dismayed that his friend smiled and
said, "Come along, then."
A few minutes later they were in a store, whose owner seemed to sell
everything, from tinned meat to telescopes; and, upon hearing their
wants, the shrewd, clever-looking Greek soon placed a case of revolvers
before them of English and American make, exhibiting the differences of
construction with clever fingers, with the result that the professor
selected a Colt, and Lawrence a Tranter of a lighter make.
"He's a keen one," said Mr Burne. "What a price he is asking for these
goods!"
"But they seem genuine," said the professor; for the Greek had gone to
the back of his store to make some inquiry about ammunition.
"Genuine fleecing," grumbled Mr Burne; and just then the dealer
returned.
"You select those two, then, gentlemen," he said in excellent English.
"But if you will allow me, sir," he continued to Lawrence, "this is a
more expensive and more highly finished pistol than the other, and it is
lighter in the hand; but if I were you, as my arm would grow stronger, I
should have one exactly like my friend's."
"Why?" said Lawrence; "I like this one."
"It is a good choice, sir, but it requires different cartridges to your
friend's, and as you are going right away, would it not be better to
have to depend on one size only? I have both, but I offer the
suggestion."
"Yes, that's quite right," said the old lawyer sharply; "quite right. I
should have both the same; and, do you know, I think perhaps I might as
well have one, in case either of you should lose yours."
Mr Preston felt ready to smile, but the speaker was looking full at
him, as if in expectation thereof, and he remained perfectly serious.
The pistols having been purchased, with a good supply of ammunition,
guns were brought out, and the professor invested in a couple of good
useful double-barrelled fowling-pieces for himself and Lawrence; Mr
Burne watching intently the whole transaction, and ending by asking the
dealer to show him one.
"You see," he explained, "I should look odd to the people if I were not
carrying the same weapons as you two, and besides I have often thought
that I should like to go shooting. I don't see why I shouldn't; do you,
Lawrence?"
"No, sir, certainly not," was the reply: and Mr Burne went on examining
the gun before him, pulling the lever, throwing open the breech, and
peeping through the barrels as if they formed a double telescope.
"Oh! that's the way, is it?" he said. "But suppose, when the thing goes
off, the shots should come out at this end instead of the other?"
"But you don't fire it off when it's open like that, Mr Burne," cried
Lawrence.
"My dear boy, of course not. Do you suppose I don't understand? You
put in the cartridges like this. No, they won't go in that way. You
put them in like that, and then you pull the trigger."
"No, no, no," cried Lawrence excitedly. "You shut the breech first."
"My dear boy--oh! I see. Yes, of course. Oh! that's what you meant.
Of course, of course. I should have seen that directly. Now, then,
it's all right. Loaded?"
"Sir! sir! sir!" cried the dealer, but he was too late, for the old
lawyer had put the gun to his shoulder, pointing the barrel towards the
door, and pulled both triggers.
The result was a deafening explosion, two puffs of smoke half filling
the place, and the old gentleman was seated upon the floor.
"Good gracious, Burne!" cried the professor, rushing to him, "are you
much hurt?"
Lawrence caught at the chair beside him, turning ashy pale, and gazing
down at the prostrate man, while quite a little crowd of people filled
the shop.
"Hurt?" cried Mr Burne fiercely--"hurt? Hang it, sir, do you think a
man at my time of life can be bumped down upon the floor like that
without being hurt?"
"But are you wounded--injured?"
"Don't I tell you, yes," cried Mr Burne, getting up with great
difficulty. "I'm jarred all up the spinal column."
"But not wounded?"
"Yes, I am, sir--in my self-respect. Here, help me up. Oh, dear! Oh,
lor'! Gently! Oh, my back! Oh, dear! No; I can't sit down. That's
better. Ah!"
"Would you like a doctor fetched?"
"Doctor? Hang your doctor, sir. Do you think I've came out here to be
poisoned by a foreign doctor. Oh, bless my soul! Oh, dear me!
Confound the gun! It's a miserable cheap piece of rubbish. Went off in
my hands. Anyone shot?"
"No, sir," said the dealer quietly; "fortunately you held the muzzle
well up, and the charges went out of the upper part of the door."
"Oh! you're there, are you?" cried Mr Burne furiously, as he lay back
in a cane chair, whose cushion seemed to be comfortable. "How dared you
put such a miserable wretched piece of rubbish as that in my hands!"
The dealer made a deprecatory gesture.
"Here, clear away all these people. Be off with you. What are you
staring at? Did you never see an English gentleman meet with an
accident before? Oh, dear me! Oh, my conscience! Bless my heart, I
shall never get over this."
The dealer went about from one to the other of the passers-by who had
crowded in, and the grave gentlemanly Turks bowed and left in the most
courteous manner, while the others, a very motley assembly, showed some
disposition to stay, but were eventually persuaded to go outside, and
the door was closed.
"To think of me, a grave quiet solicitor, being reduced to such a
position as this. I'm crippled for life. I know I am. Serves me right
for coming. Here, give me a little brandy or a glass of wine."
The latter was brought directly, and the old lawyer drank it, with the
result that it seemed to make him more angry.
"Here, you, sir!" he cried to the dealer, who was most attentive; "what
have you to say for yourself? It's a wonder that I did not shoot one of
my friends here. That gun ought to be destroyed."
"My dear Burne," said the professor, who had taken the fowling-piece and
tried the locks, cocking and recocking them over and over again; "the
piece seems to me to be in very perfect order."
"Bah! stuff! What do you know about guns?"
"Certainly I have not used one much lately, and many improvements have
been made since I used to go shooting; but still I do know how to handle
a gun."
"Then, sir," cried the little lawyer in a towering fury, "perhaps you
will be good enough to tell me how it was that this confounded piece of
mechanism went off in my hands?"
"Simply," said the professor smiling, "because you drew both the
triggers at once."
"It is false, sir. I just rested my fingers upon them as you are doing
now."
"And the piece went off!" said the professor drily, but smiling the
while. "It is a way that all guns and pistols have."
The dealer smiled his thanks, and Mr Burne started up in the chair, but
threw himself back again.
"Oh, dear! oh, my gracious me!" he groaned; "and you two grinning at me
and rejoicing over my sufferings."
"My dear sir, indeed I am very sorry," said the dealer.
"Yes, I know you are," said Mr Burne furiously, "because you think, and
rightly, that I will not buy your precious gun. Bless my heart, how it
does hurt! I feel as if I should never be able to sit up again. I know
my vertebrae are all loose like a string of beads."
"Will you allow us to assist you into my private room, sir?" said the
dealer.
"No, I won't," snapped the sufferer.
"But there is a couch there, and I will send for the resident English
doctor."
"If you dare do anything of the kind, confound you, sir, I'll throw
something at you. Can't you see that there is nothing the matter with
me, only I'm in pain."
"But he might relieve you, Burne," said the professor kindly.
"I tell you I don't want to be relieved, sir," cried the little lawyer.
"And don't stand staring at me like that, boy; I'm not killed."
"I am afraid that you are a great deal hurt," said Lawrence, going to
his side and taking his hand.
"Oh, dear! oh, dear!" groaned the sufferer. "Well, I'm not, boy, not a
bit. There."
"Let me send for a doctor, sir," said the dealer.
"I tell you I will not, man. Do you take me for a Greek or a Turk, or a
heretic? Can't you see that I am an Englishman, sir, one who is never
beaten, and never gives up? There, go on selling your guns."
"Oh, nonsense!" said the professor; "we cannot think of such things with
you in that state."
"State? What state, sir? Here you, Mr What's-your-name, I beg your
pardon. I ought to have known better. Not used to guns. Pens are more
in my way. Confoundedly stupid thing to do. But I've learned more
about a gun now than I should have learned in six months. I beg your
pardon, sir."
"Pray, say no more, sir," replied the dealer; "it is not needed."
"Yes, it is, sir," cried the lawyer fiercely. "Didn't I tell you I was
an English gentleman. An English gentleman always apologises when he is
in the wrong. I apologise. I am very sorry for what I said."
The dealer smiled and bowed, and looked pleased as he handed the
sufferer another glass of wine, which was taken and sipped at intervals
between a few mild _ohs_! and _ssfths_!
"Not a bad wine this. What is it?"
"One of the Greek wines, sir."
"Humph! not bad; but not like our port. Now, you people, go on with
your business, and don't stare at me as if I were a sick man. Here, Mr
What's-your-name, put that gun in a case, and send it round to the
hotel. I've taken a fancy to it."
"Send--this gun, sir?"
"Yes. Didn't I speak plainly? Didn't the professor, my friend here,
say it was a good gun?"
"Yes, sir, yes: it is an excellent piece of the best English make."
"Well, I want a gun, and I suppose any piece would go off as that did if
somebody handled it as stupidly as I did."
"Yes, sir, of course."
"Then send it on, and the pistol too. Ah, that's better--I'm easier;
but I say, Preston, I shall have to be carried back."
"I'm very glad you are easier, but really if I were you I would see a
doctor."
"I've no objection to seeing a doctor, my dear sir, but I'm not going to
have him do anything to me."
"Then you really wish us to go on with our purchases?"
"Why, of course, man, of course. What did we come for? Go on, man, go
on. Here, mister, show me one or two of these long carving knives."
"Carving knives?" said the dealer. "I do not keep them."
"Yes, you do: these," said Mr Burne, pointing to a case in which were
several Eastern sabres.
"Oh, the swords!" said the dealer smiling. "Of course."
"You are not going to buy one of these, are you, Mr Burne?" said
Lawrence eagerly.
"To be sure I am," was the reply. "Why shouldn't I play at soldiers if
I like. There, what do you say to that?" he continued, drawing a light,
keen-looking blade from its curved sheath. "Try it. Mind it don't go
off--I mean, don't go slashing it round and cutting off the professor's
legs or my head. Can you lift it?"
"Oh, yes," cried Lawrence, poising the keen weapon in his hand before
examining its handsome silver inlaid hilt.
"Think that would do for me? Oh, dear me, what a twinge!"
"Yes, sir, admirably," replied Lawrence.
"Then I don't," was the gruff retort. "Seems to me that it would just
suit you. There, buckle on the belt."
Lawrence did as he was told, but the belt was too large and had to be
reduced.
"Hah! that's better," said Mr Burne. "There, that's a very handsome
sword, Lawrence, and it will do to make you look fierce when we are in
the country, and to hang up in your room at home to keep in memory of
our journey. Will you accept it, my boy, as a present?"
"Oh, thank you," cried the lad excitedly.