"I am sure I shall be delighted if you will accept me as your assistant, though I don't see at present what possible service I can be."
"You will be of use. There will be no end of things to see about." Then he burst out laughing. "It does seem absurd, doesn't it, that we two, I a young lieutenant and you a lad not yet seventeen, should be proposing to take a prominent part in the defence of a city like this against an army commanded by the Shah of Persia in person."
Angus joined in the laugh. "It is not ridiculous for you," he said, "because as an artillery officer you must know a great deal more about the defence of towns than these Afghans can do; but it certainly is absurd my having anything to do in it."
Pottinger went with Angus to the house of the Armenian in order that he might know where to find him. Leaving him there he went up to the citadel, which stood on rising ground at one corner of the town. He returned in an hour, and said that the wuzeer would receive him at once.
"He is a good deal impressed," he went on, "with the fact that our minister should have sent a messenger here with the letter. At first he did not see why England should be interested in the matter, and I had to explain to him about the Russian intrigue in Persia, and that there was no doubt that sooner or later they would invade India, and that this would be rendered comparatively easy by Herat being in the hands of their friends the Persians. He enquired of me what rank you held. I told him that you were a member of the embassy, acting as assistant-secretary to the minister, and, as was evident by his entrusting you with so important a despatch, were deep in his confidence."
On arriving at the citadel they were at once conducted to the apartment of the wuzeer. Yar Mahomed rose from his seat and greeted them politely. Angus walked forward, bowed, and delivered his letter.
"You speak Persian, your excellency?" the minister said. Angus had difficulty in restraining a smile at his new dignity, but said gravely: "Yes, your highness, I speak it and Arabic."
"You journeyed here comfortably, I hope?"
"Yes; there were a few adventures on the way, but not more than I had expected."