"I don't think you can get any transport," he said; "but later I'll see if I can do anything."
We thanked him. "But transport or no transport, we are going." Jan showed him the bread order. He read it and pointed to the Nachanlik.
The Nachanlik read our order, scowled and passed it on to another man, an officer. The officer read the order, looked us sulkily from head to foot, then he pushed the paper back to us.
"We have only bread for soldiers."
"But—we are an English Mission."
"Only for soldiers here. We have nothing to do with English Missions."
Fearing that we had come to the wrong place we retired.
At another time we were climbing up back stairs to what had been the temporary lodgings of the English legation. But it was empty and deserted; Sir Ralph Paget had not yet come.
There were bread shops, but they were all shut and guarded by soldiers. Jan saw some bread in a window. He went into the dirty café, which was crowded with soldiers, some sitting on the floor and some on the tables.