I was exceedingly surprised a few weeks after our latest adventure with
the little Yellow Dwarf to receive the following extraordinary letter
from him. It was dated from Baghdad, and bore two very unusual postage
stamps, which Lionel promptly claimed for his collection.
"Kind and obliging Sir," it began, "I am in great and serious
trouble and in danger of my life, and I appeal to you to come to
my assistance by the first boat. I will explain everything when
we meet, but kindly do not delay, as everything depends upon your
presence here.
"Again beseeching you not to delay,
"Your miserable and much-afflicted friend,
"SHIN SHIRA SCARAMANGA MANOUSA
YAMA HAWA.
"P.S.--Inquire for me at the State Prison, Baghdad."
"Well!" I exclaimed, after perusing this remarkable epistle, "of all the
extraordinary requests I have ever received this is the strangest. This
man, whom I have only met at the most half-a-dozen times in my life,
expects me to neglect my work and rush off to Baghdad, of all places in
the world, to his assistance, because he has got into some trouble which
has landed him in the State Prison there. I always thought somehow that
those uncanny powers which he possesses would get him into serious
difficulties at some time or another. I'll send him a letter stating
that I cannot go to him." And here I endeavoured to dismiss Shin Shira
and his affairs from my mind.
I was so worried about the matter, however, that I couldn't settle to
work, so I lit my pipe and settled myself in my easy-chair to think the
matter out.
Poor little fellow! If he really was in such desperate straits it seemed
very heartless to leave him to his fate if in any way I could be of real
assistance to him; and, after all, I could work almost as well while I
was away as I could at home, and the voyage would probably give me
plenty of new ideas for my book. I thought of all the kind things the
little chap had done for me, and how he had always somehow come to the
rescue when I had been in difficulties in my adventures with him; and
finally I came to the conclusion that it would be most ungrateful and
selfish of me if I let anything stand in the way of my going to my
friend's assistance.
I had no sooner made up my mind on this point than I called a cab and
set out at once for Messrs. Cook's office and booked a passage by the
next steamer.
I will not tell you anything about the somewhat uninteresting journey
either by sea or land, with the exception that when I at last stepped
ashore in an Oriental port, I found in the curious costumes and strange
surroundings many things to amuse me and to wonder at.
The entire journey on the whole, however, was decidedly tedious, and I
was very glad to find myself at last in the ancient city of Baghdad.
I went at once to the British Consul there and told him my object in
coming to the city.
"Shin Shira!" he exclaimed. "Why, there is scarcely anything talked
about in these days but Shin Shira. He has stolen one of the most
valuable crown jewels, and was caught with it in his possession.
Despite the indisputable evidence against him, however, he persists in
declaring his innocence, and pleads that, with the assistance of a
friend from London, he can prove it conclusively. I suppose, sir, that
you are the friend from London."
I told him that I was, and that I was deeply grieved to hear of the
trouble that Shin Shira was in, and that I felt convinced that there was
some mistake in the matter which could somehow or other be cleared up.
"I should be very glad to think so," said the Consul, shaking his head,
"but I fear it is hopeless. You see, the stone--an almost priceless
diamond--was actually found in his possession. But come, you will be
anxious to see your friend as soon as possible. I will come with you to
the prison and see that you are admitted."
The kind-hearted official called his carriage, and together we drove
through the unfamiliar narrow streets to the dismal-looking building in
which my poor friend was confined.
A brief consultation with the authorities and the signing of various
papers made me free to enter the prison, and having thanked the Consul
for his kind offices, I was led away by one of the officials to a
terribly dark dungeon, in which, crouched in a corner, I found my poor
friend Shin Shira, looking the picture of misery.
His face lit up with a smile of hope, however, when he saw me, and his
whole aspect changed.
"My friend! my deliverer!" he cried, using all kinds of extravagant
Oriental phrases to express his delight at seeing me. "Ah! at last you
have come, and I shall be saved! May all the blessings of Allah be on
your head!"
The official withdrew, locking the door carefully behind him, having
first given me to understand by various signs that he would return for
me in about half-an-hour.
"Well, now," I inquired, when we were alone, "what is this terrible
trouble which has brought you here? What have you been doing?"
"Nothing!" declared Shin Shira solemnly. "Nothing whatever to merit this
punishment. It is all a horrible mistake. Let me begin at the beginning.
About two months ago, after a series of my usual adventures, I suddenly
appeared here in Baghdad. Now I have been acquainted with the city for
many, many years--in fact, ever since the time of Sinbad the Sailor,
whom I knew quite well, and with whom I was at one time very friendly.
Well, I have many times appeared here since then, and on each occasion I
have taken a great interest in the place on account of old
associations. I have made many friends here, too; so when I found myself
here once more I was greatly delighted, and was making my way to the
Bazaar, where I knew I should be sure to find some acquaintances, when
greatly to my surprise I saw several passers-by stop and stare at me
curiously and then, whispering amongst themselves, follow me at some
distance behind.
[Illustration]
"It could not be my clothing which was attracting all this attention,
for it was more or less of the same pattern to which they were
accustomed. I caught sight of myself in a polished steel mirror in one
of the shops in the Bazaar, and stole a glance at myself, but could see
nothing wrong. What could be the cause? I had not long to wait, however,
before I found out to my cost what was wrong.
"The crowd following me had increased in size, and at last two enormous
men in uniform came up and seized me by my arms, and I was immediately
surrounded by a throng of curious faces.
"'Where did you get that diamond?' demanded one of my captors, pointing
to my turban, in which, as you know, I always wear the jewel which the
Princess gave me.
"'Oh that! That was given to me many years ago by a friend--a
Princess--who has been dead now for many hundreds of years,' I said.
"'Many hundreds of years? And you say she was a friend of yours?'
exclaimed the man. 'Absurd!'
"'Preposterous!' declared the other. 'Look here! If you can't give us
some more reasonable explanation than that, we shall take you off at
once to the Chief Magistrate, and charge you with having stolen it.'
"'But why?' I gasped. 'Why should you think that I have stolen it?'
"'A diamond of exactly that size and colour has disappeared from amongst
the Crown jewels, and it strikes me very forcibly that this is the very
one.'
"It was in vain for me to protest. I was taken before the Magistrate,
and experts were called to examine the jewel.
"They weighed it and examined it carefully through powerful magnifying
glasses, and finally unanimously agreed that it was indeed the missing
jewel.
"I was closely cross-questioned as to how it came into my possession,
and also as to my movements during the past six months. My explanations
were considered most unsatisfactory, and no one would believe me;
consequently I was thrown into prison and condemned to death. It was
only by the most earnest pleading that I managed to gain time for you to
get here, as I assured them that you would be able to put everything
right, and explain matters to their entire satisfaction."
"I?" I stammered. "I am very, very sorry for you, my poor friend, and I
would do anything to help you, but what am I to say or do which will
convince them when you tell me that you have failed to do so?"
"It is easy--easy," declared Shin Shira hopefully. "Now attend carefully
to what I say. I am of course not allowed outside the prison walls, and
there is no one here whom I would dare to trust with an important
commission.
"Now I want you to go at once to the Bazaar, and find a man named
Mustapha, a dealer in old curiosities; and, without letting him know
whom it is for, purchase from him a large round crystal which you will
find in his shop. He will probably want a lot of money for it, but
whatever he asks offer him just half, and you will find that after a lot
of argument he will let you have it at that. These Oriental shopkeepers
are all like that. And then, having secured the crystal, hurry back here
and the rest will be easy."
Although I could not in the least see what Shin Shira wanted the crystal
for, I was careful to execute his commission to the letter.
I found no difficulty in reaching the Bazaar, and, once there, soon
found out Mustapha. I did not like the look of the man at all.
He was a fawning, obsequious little man, with shifting eyes which never
looked you straight in the face.
He stood bowing and smiling and rubbing his hands when I entered the
shop and asked to see the crystal.
"Ah yea--very fine crystal--for those who know how to use it. Very
vallyble--lot money. You know this? You got?" and he gave me a searching
glance with his little bead-like eyes.
"Oh yes, I can pay for it if I want it," I said, "but what do you call a
_lot_ of money? How much do you want for it?"
[Illustration]
He named a price which I knew to be very excessive, and I shook my head
decidedly.
"No! too much!" I declared.
"Oh! but see! Beautiful crystal!" he argued.
"No," I replied, "too much! I'll give you half," and I began to walk
unconcernedly out of the shop.
"And you give me little present besides?" pleaded Mustapha.
"Not a penny," said I.
The man gave a little sigh.
"Oh well, you take him," he said. "Not enough money, but Mustapha very
poor, must sell him. I wrap him up for you, see!"
I paid him the money and hurried out of the shop, for I must confess
that I had taken a great dislike to the little man with his smooth, oily
manner.
However, I had got the crystal, and that was the main thing.
I hastened back to the prison, and after a long argument with the
authorities, I managed to gain permission to see the prisoner once more.
I found Shin Shira all eagerness to know if I had secured the crystal,
and when he saw it in my hand, his joy knew no bounds.
"Now it is all easy," said he, "and I shall soon be free. This is a
Magic Crystal, and by wishing very hard to see any particular object and
gazing at it steadily for a moment or two, you will see just what you
wish to see reflected in it. Now I'm just going to wish
to--er--to--er--er--o--o-h! I'm going to vanish! To think that I've been
here all this time hoping every day that I should be able to disappear,
and now, just as I was about to get myself free--I--good-bye--!"
And to my horror, the little Yellow Dwarf suddenly faded away, and I was
left alone in the dungeon.
I say to my horror, for what was I to say when the jailer appeared? How
was I to account for the prisoner's escape? I was just puzzling about
these things when the door opened and the jailer hurriedly came to tell
me the time allowed for my visit was up.
He saw at once that Shin Shira was not there, and in a great state of
excitement plied me with questions.
I felt, however, that the best thing to do was to preserve silence: it
would at least gain time; so I shook my head and pretended not to
understand a word of what he was saying in his broken English.
The man doubly locked the door and hurried off to inform his superior
officers, and I was left alone once more.
My eyes fell upon the crystal, and I suddenly thought of what Shin Shira
had said. Holding it carefully in my hands, I wished to see the real
thief who had stolen the crown jewel.
A vague mist spread over the crystal, which gradually cleared away, and
I distinctly saw revealed the features of--Mustapha. Then I wished to
see what he had done with the stone, and after gazing a moment or two
longer, I saw him take it down to a cellar under his shop and bury it in
a tin box under a stone, which he lifted up from the floor.
That was enough for me. When the jailer and the other officers came
hurrying back I was ready for them.
"Where is the prisoner?" they demanded.
"He has escaped," I replied coolly.
"What!" they exclaimed. "You dare to admit this, and that you assisted
him to do so? You shall take his place here, and will no doubt receive
the punishment which was intended for him."
"He is an innocent man," said I calmly, "and ought never to have been
imprisoned. He did not steal the diamond."
"How can you say that when we found it upon him? Why, he was actually
impudent enough to go walking about in the street with it boldly stuck
in his turban."
"The stone he was wearing was his own, and he had every right, to wear
it where and how he liked," I replied steadily.
"His own! Pooh! a likely story. Where is the missing jewel then? Can you
tell me that?"
"Yes," I replied, to their great astonishment.
"And the thief?" they questioned eagerly.
"I know who he is too. Take me before the Magistrate at once, and I will
soon restore the lost jewel."
My assured tone of voice seemed somewhat to impress the officials, and
they left me for a few moments to consult amongst themselves as to what
was best to be done.
Presently they returned and told me to follow them.
[Illustration]
I found myself conducted to a plainly-furnished room where a
dignified-looking gentleman was seated at a table strewn with papers. He
looked up at me sharply as we entered the room, and addressing me in
excellent English, said--
"What is this extraordinary story I hear about the escape of the
prisoner Shin Shira, and that you are prepared to inform us of another
person who has, as you say, the crown jewel in his possession?"
"It is true," said I, "and if you will allow some of your officers to
accompany me into the Bazaar I will point out the thief at once, and
show you where he has hidden the stone."
The Magistrate thought for a moment. "I will come with you myself," he
said at last. "Have ready six men to accompany us," he commanded; and a
few minutes later we were on our way to Mustapha's shop.
The wretched man gave a start and turned very pale when he saw us, but
endeavouring to put a bold face upon it, he came bowing and cringing
towards us, smiling and wringing his hands.
"What an honour to my poor house!" he exclaimed. "How unworthy am I to
receive such august guests!"
"We've come to see if you have any more crystals like the one I bought
of you to-day, Mustapha," I said.
"Alas! honoured patron, none!" cried Mustapha in a relieved voice,
thinking that he now knew the object of our visit.
"Think--think, Mustapha," said I. "Have you no piece of clear glass
that could be used in its place?"
[Illustration: "I took up the stone."]
"Alas, none!" he replied, shaking his head.
"Look about," said I. "Here in the shop--and down in the cellar."
The little man's face turned green.
"The cellar? Noble patron, how should I find such a thing there?"
"Lead the way and I will try to show you," said I; and despite his
agonised protests, the trembling wretch was made to lead us to the very
spot where the jewel was hidden.
I took up the stone and showed the Magistrate the box in which the
diamond was concealed, while Mustapha grovelled on the ground, pleading
for mercy.
What followed was a matter of course. The merchant Mustapha was
arrested, I was released and commissioned to let Shin Shira know that if
he applied in person for his jewel it would be returned to him, and an
apology offered for his unwarranted arrest.
And so I was set free--a stranger and alone in Baghdad.