It was very clear that the sufferer had not much opinion of the Armenian and Greek Christians. But this was no solitary expressed opinion. Throughout my journey, I found Armenians and Greeks equally despised by the Mohammedans. It is a great pity that the votaries of Christianity in the East should have brought the only pure religion into so great disrepute.
CHAPTER X.
Radford and Osman—The quarrel—Do the Roossians kiss each other?—Bei Bazar—The pig tobacco—Osman's honesty—Forage for five horses—It is a good sign in a horse to be always hungry—The Tchechmet river—The Mudir at Istanos—The Cadi's mule—The tradition about Istanos—Caverns formerly inhabited by marauders—A chasm—The entrance to the caverns—A levee of the inhabitants—No newspapers in the villages—An Armenian priest—The furniture of the room—Has the Conference commenced?—What is it all about?—Russia is strong and we are weak—The other Powers are afraid of Russia—Will England be our ally?—Are the Christians tortured?—Here we get on very well with the Mussulmans—The pack-saddle.
There was something on my English servant's mind that evening. He did not look happy, and eyed Osman from time to time with lowering looks.
"My brother is angry with me, Effendi," said the Turk, in answer to my inquiries. "When he speaks I do not understand, when I speak he does not know what I say."
"What is the matter, Radford?" I asked.
"Please, sir, I ain't had no dinner. I did not prepare anything for you as the cook in the house was a preparing it. Well, when you had finished, and Osman had brought out the dishes, I thought that I should get something to eat. But, no sir! for Osman invited a lot of dirty Turks to come and sit round the victuals. Some of the chaps had just come out of the stable, and their hands were that dirty. Then they began a shoving them into the dishes and a licking their fingers. It turned me hup, that it did. Osman ought to know better, sir. Whenever I cooks for you I always give him a tit-bit for himself."
I now explained the matter to Osman, and at the same time informed him that in future he must look after his English companion at dinner-time. The difficulty was amicably arranged, and the two men shook hands together. Osman wishing to show his affection in a more demonstrative manner, this, however, was not appreciated by my domestic.
"Lor! how they kisses each other, just like a lot of great girls. Do the Roossians kiss each other?"
"Yes, Radford."