"He is civil to all Europeans," continued the Armenian. "Probably he took a fancy to you because his astrologer had worked out your horoscope, and had reported favourably upon it."
"You do not mean to say that the Pacha believes in such things?" I observed.
"Yes; he never makes a journey without first of all consulting his astrologer."
There was no very active trade in Divriki. The Armenians supplied the people of the town with the few goods which they might require at exorbitant prices.
In addition to this, most of the Christians were usurers. Any Mohammedan who chanced to require a loan had to pay his Armenian fellow-citizen a very high rate of interest. However, in this respect, Divriki is not an exception to the towns in Anatolia, and in almost every district which I visited I found that the leading Christians in the community had made their money by usurious dealings. In some instances, old Turkish families had been entirely ruined, their descendants were lying in gaol at the suit of Armenian money-lenders.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Usury laws in Turkey—An Armenian in prison for debt—The Caimacan—The Turkish creditor—Hanistan Ereek's father—A Government cannot be imprisoned for debt—The redif soldiers—Their unwillingness to serve—The Armenians not to be trusted—Yanoot—A picture of desolation—A Jordan road—Turkish soldiers do not grumble—Arabkir—A silk-merchant—My host—His library—Pretty covers—A Russian servant—He was taken prisoner during the Crimean war.
I was now to learn that the usury laws in Turkey are also used against the Christians. On returning to my house, a servant informed me that an Armenian was downstairs, and wished to see me.
He had been in Paris, and could speak a little French. This he so interlarded with Turkish that it was rather difficult to follow him. The man's name was Hanistan Ereek. At length I discovered that, twelve years ago, his father had borrowed 300 piastres from a Turk. Soon afterwards the father died, and the son, leaving Divriki without paying the debt, had gone to Europe. On his return, the creditor had him arrested for the sum of 6000 piastres. This Hanistan Ereek refused to pay; he had been imprisoned for three months in consequence.
The Caimacan was in the room at the time the man made his complaint.