The officer proceeded to examine the document with great solemnity, and a frown showed itself on his features as he read. After a minute or two he looked up and said sternly:
“The teskereh is not in order, effendi. You must come with me immediately to the konak.”
“That I must decline to do,” replied Maurice with a smile, “at least until I have finished my meal and washed. We have come a long way, and are, as you see, dirty. We are Englishmen, and we should discredit our nation and dishonour the Chief of the Police if we appeared before him in our present condition. If, therefore, you will be good enough to wait for a few minutes, we shall be happy to accompany you.”
“Very well, effendi,” said the officer, “we will wait.” He spoke to his men, who squatted on the floor in a half circle round the travellers, lighted cigarettes, and stared solemnly at the prisoners.
“What did he say?” asked George, somewhat uneasy.
“He is going to take us to the police station.”
“But he read your passport!”
“I am not at all sure that he did. He held it upside down, from which I infer that he knows no language but his own. A few words with the Chief of the Police will no doubt set things right. But we are disreputable-looking objects, and I’m afraid there are no toilet arrangements here. Unluckily my valise is at Giulika’s kula: we haven’t so much as a comb between us. We must do the best we can.”
Explaining to the host that they desired to wash, they were led to the courtyard behind the inn, where two of the servants poured water over their heads from a tin wine-measure, this performance being stolidly watched by two of the zaptiehs. There was no soap to be had, and the travellers had to be content with this imperfect ablution. They returned to the inn; their battered boots were pulled on, and amid respectful salutes from the hanji and his people, they passed into the street under the escort of the officer and his men.
A slight evening mist was gathering over the city. They marched up the steep cobbled streets towards the konak, perched on a ridge up the mountain side, a motley crowd following at their heels. After a fatiguing climb they came to the courtyard of the konak, guarded by sentries perched on wooden platforms, and, passing these, came to the long untidy building. Mounting a few steps, they reached the great hall, where the officer left them under charge of his men while he went to report their presence.