Jimgrim and Allah's Peace

by Talbot Mundy
To Jimgrim: whose real name, rank, and military distinctions, I promised never to make public.
Contents
I. Look for a man named Grim. II. No objection; Only a stipulation. III. Do whatever the leader of the escort tells you. IV. I am willing to use all means—all methods. V. D'you mind if I use you? VI. That man will repay study. VII. Who gives orders to me? VIII. He will say next that it was he who set the stars in the sky over El-Kerak, and makes the moon rise! IX. Feet downwards, too afraid to yell — X. Money doesn't weigh much! XI. And the rest of the acts of Ahaziah— XII. You know you'll get scuppered if you're found out! XIII. You may now be unsafe and an outlaw and enjoy yourself! XIV. Windy bellies without hearts in them. XV. I'll have nothing to do with it! XVI. The enemy is nearly always useful if you leave him free to make mistakes. XVII. Poor old Scharnhoff's in the soup. XVIII. But we're ready for them. XIX. Dead or Alive, Sahib. XX. All men are equal in the dark. ——————
Look for a man named Grim.
There is a beautiful belief that journalists may do exactly as they please, and whenever they please. Pleasure with violet eyes was in Chicago. My passport describes me as a journalist. My employer said: Go to Jerusalem. I went, that was in 1920.
I had been there a couple of times before the World War, when the Turks were in full control. So I knew about the bedbugs and the stench of the citadel moat; the pre-war price of camels; enough Arabic to misunderstand it when spoken fluently, and enough of the Old Testament and the Koran to guess at Arabian motives, which are important, whereas words are usually such stuff as lies are made of.
El Kudz, as Arabs call Jerusalem, is, from a certain distance, as they also call it, shellabi kabir. Extremely beautiful. Beautiful upon a mountain. El Kudz means The City, and in a certain sense it is that, to unnumbered millions of people. Ludicrous, uproarious, dignified, pious, sinful, naively confidential, secretive, altruistic, realistic. Hoary-ancient and ultra-modern. Very, very proud of its name Jerusalem, which means City of Peace. Full to the brim with the malice of certainly fifty religions, fifty races, and five hundred thousand curious political chicaneries disguised as plans to save our souls from hell and fill some fellow's purse. The jails are full.