[#] Cabinet.
There was a shadow of a scowl on the Armenian's face. The man hesitated; then walked towards the door: stopped as if at a sudden recollection; and turned to Desmond with a bland smile.
"I was forgetting," he said; "I brought the papers here for safety sake."
He went to the almara, searched for a moment, and handed two papers to Desmond.
"There, sir," he said, with a quite paternal smile; "you take the responsibility. In these unfortunate circumstances"--he waved his hand in the direction of the factory--"it is, believe me, a relief to me to see the last of these papers."
"That is well."
But Desmond, as he took the papers, felt himself in a quandary. Though he could speak, he could not read, Hindustani! The papers might not be the dastaks after all. What was he to do? The peons were not likely to be able to read. He scanned the papers. There was the name Merriman in English characters, but all the rest was in native script. The smile hovering on the Armenian's face annoyed Desmond, and he was still undecided what to do when a voice at his elbow gave him welcome relief.
"Babu Surendra Nath Chuckerbutti," announced the darwan.
The Babu entered.
"Come and tell me if these are our dastaks," said Desmond.