UNDER ARREST
During the next few days, the town seethed with ever-increasing
excitement. It became known that Germany had declared war on Russia and
France, and the sole topic of conversation among the Europeans was, what
would Britain do? Rumour flew apace; authentic news was slow in coming
in by telegraph; but at last it was officially announced that Britain
was at war with Germany, and almost immediately afterwards that the
British Grand Fleet had been shattered in the North Sea. Frank, in
common with the few other Englishmen in the town, scoffed at this; but
the story found many believers, and it was noticed that Wonckhaus ran up
a large German flag on his roof-top. Frank paid frequent visits to the
British consul, who depended for his information on the Turkish
telegraph officials, and there was reason to suspect that a strict
censorship had already been established.
As usually happens in Asiatic Turkey when Europe is disturbed, there was
growing racial excitement among the natives. The Armenians, a timid
unstable people, incapable of effective combination, talked of
revolution, and the lower-class Moslems of the town assumed a menacing
attitude towards them. The Kurds in the country districts, it was
rumoured, had already recommenced their attacks on the Armenians, and
Frank was gravely apprehensive of massacres on a large scale. He
instructed his Armenian employees to keep within doors as much as
possible, and to avoid collisions with the Moslems. His chief clerk,
Joseph, while sharing his fears, was not alarmed for his own safety.
His father, a man of considerable business astuteness and organizing
power, was a contractor to the 9th Army Corps, whose headquarters were
at Erzerum, and in good relations with the military authorities. They
hated him as an Armenian, but found him useful, indeed indispensable, as
a business man, and when business is concerned, religion counts little
with the Turk.
Public feeling was stirred to its depths when news came of the arrival
of the _Goeben_ and the _Breslau_ at the Bosporus. There was at once
manifested a great deal of military activity. New levies flocked into
Erzerum, and there were movements of troops along the whole Black Sea
coast. Large supplies were needed for them, and the contractor was
busily employed. Frank found it hard to believe that Turkey would be so
short-sighted as to take the field against the Allied Powers; but he
noticed that Wonckhaus, whose air of self-importance was growing day by
day, was frequently in communication with the military governor, and the
announcement of German victories became a daily occurrence. Joseph
reported that these victories were the talk of the town, and it was
openly declared that the Germans would soon be in possession of Paris,
that rebellions had broken out in India, Ireland, and South Africa, and
that the Sultan was on the point of recovering Egypt, the British
garrison having been withdrawn to fight in the West. Frank met black
looks in the streets; trade was at a standstill: and in the absence of
trustworthy news he began to fidget and to wish that his father would
return.
One day a man ran into the office with a message for Joseph. A
low-class mob had risen against the Armenians in the quarter in which
his father's house was situated, and when the messenger left the rabble
were battering on the contractor's door. Joseph at once rushed out,
followed by Frank, who snatched up a revolver which he had made a
practice of carrying in the streets during the past few weeks. There
were unmistakable signs of commotion in the town. The Armenian
shopkeepers were hurriedly shutting their booths; some were barricading
their doors, others already speeding away with their portable goods to
seek safety in remote quarters of the town or in the country without.
When Frank arrived on the scene of the disturbance the mob had broken
through the gate into the courtyard, and were battering at the door of
the storeroom.
"Stand aside there!" called Frank impulsively, elbowing his way through
the throng.
He set his back against the door, and drawing his revolver threatened to
shoot any man who ventured to renew the attack. The ruffians, who were
armed only with sticks and clubs, fell back, overawed by the
Englishman's authoritative voice and mien. Two elderly zaptiehs were
looking on from the opposite side of the street. Without much faith in
these official defenders of order Frank called on them to disperse the
mob, or he would report them to the Governor. The policemen lifted
their rifles and moved sluggishly towards him, pressing the mob aside
without much energy. But the display of authority, such as it was, had
the effect of thinning the mob. One man tried to work them up to
resist, but finding himself left with a diminishing number of adherents,
and perceiving a half company of regular troops marching up at the end
of the street, he slunk away and disappeared.
For the moment the danger was past. Frank returned home with Joseph.
"That man, the ringleader, was one of Abdi's gang," said Joseph as they
went along. "I noticed him among them that day in the hills."
"We'll have him arrested. You know where he lives?"
"I do not know. Ali will know."
"Then find out from Ali, and I will see the Governor."
But within an hour or two Frank was himself summoned to the Governor's
palace.
"It is with grief and surprise I learn," said the Governor, "that you, a
foreigner, have taken it upon yourself to give orders to my constables.
What have you to say?"
"Seeing that the zaptiehs were looking on unconcerned at a set of
ruffians assaulting the premises of your army contractor, excellency, I
think that perhaps a foreigner's intervention may have done you a
service."
Frank took a higher tone than he would have adopted had he not still
felt the sting left by his previous interview with the Governor.
"It is inexcusable," was the reply. "You will henceforth keep to your
own house. If you are seen in the streets you will be arrested. You
English take too much upon yourselves."
Frank was too much surprised to expostulate, even if there had seemed
any use in so doing. It was clear that his crime was the being an
Englishman. Filled with a new anxiety as to the future, he left the
palace, to find that he was to be escorted home by a file of
infantrymen. On reaching the house he sent Joseph at once to ask the
British consul to visit him.
"I think you had better remain quiet for the present," said that
gentleman when the matter had been explained to him. "You are
technically in the wrong, though the late governor would have thanked
you for what you did. Wonckhaus is in the ascendant here. The
authorities won't take any serious steps against you at present. Until
that affair of yours with Wonckhaus is decided you need have no anxiety.
Your course is certainly to lie low and refrain from the least
appearance of provocation. You are expecting your father?"
"Yes, I am surprised that I haven't heard from him."
"Well, everything is more or less disorganized. Probably he will turn
up unexpectedly one day and take you away with him. All indications
point to the entrance of Turkey into the war. She has closed the
Dardanelles--an ominous sign. Wonckhaus put it about to-day that Paris
had fallen. I don't believe it, but the authorities are absolutely
hypnotized by the Germans, and Enver Pasha, their tool, seems to be
having it all his own way at Constantinople. I hope to get trustworthy
information through a courier shortly; I don't believe what they dole
out here. If Turkey does enter the war, I shall have to go, of course;
and if your father hasn't arrived by that time, you must come away under
my safe-conduct."
On leaving the house the consul perceived that the Governor's order to
Frank was to be enforced: a sentry was already posted at the gate. He
returned for a final word.
"It means that you are practically a prisoner," he said to Frank, "and
it will probably be inadvisable that I should be seen coming here. But
we can communicate through Joseph. I will make a formal report to our
ambassador at Constantinople, who may possibly make a peremptory demand
for your release, though while that unfortunate affair with Wonckhaus is
still _sub judice_ it may be difficult to move. But there's no need to
be uneasy."
"That's all very well," replied Frank, "but my business is at an end,
and the sooner I can get away the better. I don't think I ought even to
wait for my father."
"You must be as patient as you can. In the present state of affairs you
would never get your stock across country safely. I'll do all I can,
and keep you informed through Joseph how things are shaping."