III
Upon the stroke of midnight Dicky entered the room where Selamlik Pasha awaited him with a malicious and greasy smile, in which wanton cruelty was uppermost. Selamlik Pasha knew well the object of this meeting. He had accurately interpreted the message brought by Mahommed Yeleb. He knew his power; he knew that the Englishman's life was in his hands to do with what he chose, for the law of the harem which defies all outside law was on his side. But here he was come to listen to Dicky Donovan, the arrogant little favourite, pleading for the life of the English boy who had done the thing for which the only penalty was death.
Dicky showed no emotion as he entered the room, but salaamed, and said:
"Your Excellency is prompt. Honour and peace be upon your Excellency!"
"Honour and the bounty of the stars be upon thee, saadat el basha!"
There was a slight pause, in which Dicky seated himself, lighted a cigarette, and summoned a servant, of whom he ordered coffee. They did not speak meantime, but Dicky sat calmly, almost drowsily, smoking, and Selamlik Pasha sat with greasy hands clasping and unclasping, his yellow eyes fixed on Dicky with malevolent scrutiny.
When the coffee was brought, the door had been shut, and Dicky had drawn the curtain across, Selamlik Pasha said: "What great affair brings us together here, saadat el basha?"
"The matter of the Englishman you hold a prisoner, Excellency."
"It is painful, but he is dead," said the Pasha, with a grimace of cruelty.
Dicky's eyes twitched slightly, but he answered with coolness, thrusting
his elbow into the cushions and smoking hard: "But, no, he is not dead.
Selamlik Pasha has as great an instinct for a bargain as for revenge.
Also Selamlik Pasha would torture before he kills. Is it not so?"
"What is your wish?"
"That the man be set free, Excellency."
"He has trespassed. He has stolen his way into the harem. The infidel dog has defiled the house of my wives."
"He will marry the woman, with your permission, Excellency. He loved her—so it would seem."
"He shall die—the dog of an infidel!"
Dicky was now satisfied that Sowerby was alive, and that the game was fairly begun. He moved slowly towards his purpose.
"I ask his life, as a favour to me. The Khedive honours me, and I can serve you betimes, Excellency."
"You called me 'Trousers,' and all Egypt laughed," answered the Pasha malignantly.
"I might have called you worse, but I did not. You may call me what you will—I will laugh."
"I will call you a fool for bringing me here to laugh at you, who now would kiss Selamlik Pasha's shoe. I would he were your brother. I would tear out his fingernails, pierce his eyes, burn him with hot irons, pour boiling oil over him and red cinders down his throat—if he were your brother."
"Remember I am in the confidence of the Khedive, Pasha."
"Ismail! What dare he do? Every Egyptian in the land would call him infidel. Ismail would dare do nothing." His voice was angrily guttural with triumph.
"England will ask the price of the young man's life of you, Excellency."
"England dare not move—is thy servant a fool? Every Mussulman in the land would raise the green flag—the Jehad would be upon ye!"
"He is so young. He meant no ill. The face of your daughter drew him on. He did not realise his crimen—or its penalty."
"It is a fool's reasoning. Because he was a stranger and an infidel, so has he been told of dark things done to those who desecrate our faith."
"Had he been an Egyptian or a Turk—"
"I should slay him, were he Ismail himself. Mine own is mine own, as Mahomet hath said. The man shall die—and who shall save him? Not even the Sultan himself."
"There are concessions in the Fayoum—you have sought them long."
"Bah!"
"There is the Grand Cordon of the Mejidieh; there is a way to it,
Excellency."
"The man's blood!"
"There is a high office to be vacant soon, near to the person of the
Khedive, with divers moneys and loans—"
"To see Donovan Pasha cringe and beg is better."
"There is that mercy which one day you may have to ask for yourself or for your own—"
"The fool shall die. And who shall save him?"
"Well, I will save him," said Dicky, rising slowly to his feet.
"Pish! Go to the Khedive with the tale, and I will kill the man within the hour, and tell it abroad, and we shall see where Donovan Pasha will stand to-morrow. The Khedive is not stronger than his people—and there are the French, and others!" He spat upon the floor at Dicky's feet. "Go, tell the Khedive what you will, dog of an Englishman, son of a dog with a dog's heart!" Dicky took a step forward, with an ominous flare of colour in his cheek. There was a table between him and Selamlik Pasha. He put both hands upon it, and leaning over said in a voice of steel:
"So be it, then. Shall I go to the Khedive and say that this night Mustapha Bey, eldest and chosen son of Selamlik Pasha, the darling of his fat heart, was seized by the Chief Eunuch, the gentle Mizraim, in the harem of his Highness? Shall I tell him that, Trousers?"
As Dicky spoke, slowly, calmly, Selamlik Pasha turned a greenish-yellow, his eyes started from his head, his hand chafed the air.
"Mustapha Bey—Khedive's harem!" he stammered in a husky voice.
"By the gentle Mizraim, I said," answered Dicky. "Is Mustapha Bey's life worth an hour's purchase? Is Selamlik Pasha safe?"
"Is—is he dead?" gasped the cowardly Egyptian, furtively glancing towards the door. Suddenly he fell back fainting, and Dicky threw some water in his face, then set a cup of it beside him.
"Drink, and pull yourself together, if you would save yourself," said
Dicky.
"Save—save myself," said Selamlik Pasha, recovering; then, with quick suspicion, and to gain time, added quickly: "Ah, it is a trick! He is not a prisoner—you lie!"
"I have not a reputation for lying," rejoined Dicky quietly. "But see!" he added; and throwing open a door, pointed to where the Chief Eunuch stood with Mahommed Yeleb, Mustapha Bey gagged and bound between them. Dicky shut the door again, as Selamlik Pasha shrank back among the cushions, cowardice incarnate.
"You thought," said Dicky with a soft fierceness" you thought that I would stoop to bargain with Selamlik Pasha and not know my way out of the bargain? You thought an Englishman would beg, even for a life, of such as you! You thought me, Donovan Pasha, such a fool!"
"Mercy, Excellency!" said Selamlik, spreading out his hands.
Dicky laughed. "You called me names, Selamlik—a dog, and the son of a dog with a dog's heart. Was it wise?"
"Is there no way? Can no bargain be made?"
Dicky sat down, lighting a cigarette.
"To save a scandal in Egypt," answered Dicky drily, "I am ready to grant you terms."
"Speak-Excellency."
"The life of the Englishman for the life of your son and your own. Also, the freedom of the six Circassian slaves whom you house now at Beni Hassan, ready to bring to your palace. Also, for these slaves two hundred Turkish pounds apiece. Also, your written word that you will bring no more slaves into Egypt. Is the bargain fair?"
"Mizraim may still betray us," said Selamlik, trembling, with relief, but yet apprehensive.
"Mizraim is in my power—he acts for me," said Dicky. "Whose life is safe here save my own?"
"Malaish! It shall be as your will is, Excellency," answered Selamlik
Pasha, in a shaking voice; and he had time to wonder even then how an
Englishman could so outwit an Oriental. It was no matter how Mustapha
Bey, his son, was lured; he had been seized in the harem, and all truth
can be forsworn in Egypt, and the game was with this Donovan Pasha.
"Send to your palace, commanding that the Englishman be brought here," said Dicky. Selamlik Pasha did so.
Sowerby of the Mounted Infantry was freed that night, and the next day Dicky Donovan had six Circassian slaves upon his hands. He passed them over to the wife of Fielding Bey with whom he had shared past secrets and past dangers.
Selamlik Pasha held his peace in fear; and the Khedive and Cairo never knew why there was a truce to battle between Dicky Donovan and that vile Pasha called Trousers.