"Have you anything more to tell?" asked the ambassador, at last.
"It was not my fault, Effendim," said the kaváss, in great agitation. "Paul Effendi and I were looking at the people, and when we turned Alexander Effendi was gone, and we could not find him. I had warned him beforehand not to separate himself from us"——
"Do you think he can be found?" inquired Ananoff, cutting short the man's repetitions.
"Surely, the Effendi can be found," returned the kaváss. "But it may take time."
"Why should it take time? Unless he is injured or imprisoned somewhere, he ought to find his way to Pera to-day."
"Effendim, he may have strayed into the dark streets. If the bekji found him without a lantern, he would be arrested, according to the law."
"He had our lantern," said Paul. "We could not find it."
"That is true," answered the kaváss, in dejected tones. "There is the Persian ambassador, Effendim," he said, with a sudden revival of hope.
"What can he do?" asked the count.
"He is lord over all the donkey-drivers in Stamboul, Effendim. The Sultan allows him to exact tribute of them, which is the most part of his fortune.[2] Perhaps if he gave orders that they should all be beaten unless they found Alexander Effendi, they would find him. They go everywhere and see everybody."