Simplex was then sent straight to the smithy, and there such heavy fetters were fastened to his legs that he could scarcely drag them along. After that they stuck him in a subterranean dungeon, already occupied by some fifty other persons, who said very little to each other, but squatted on the floor, as near as they could get to the narrow, single window, and carved pipes, plaited scourges, or wove Turkish girdles in order to earn a few aspers. Many of them, however, lay against the wall as if they were sick, and these had their feet tied up. A barber came down to them in the morning and evening to change their bandages, and rub their wounded soles with soothing salves.
Simplex asked them what long journeys they had been taking to make the soles of their feet so sore. One of them answered:
"Just wait a bit. It will be your turn soon to take the same journey and find out where Bambooland lies."
And, indeed, before the week was out, Simplex's curiosity was satisfied, and he had no need to bother his head about the matter any more.
When his turn came he was led to the Kaimakan.
The Kaimakan was a fat-faced, big-bellied man who loved his joke. He was smoking a pipe with a very long stem, and sat with crossed legs on a bright carpet.
He addressed Simplex most affably, called him "my dear son!" and asked whence he was, who his relations were, how much property he had, and where his estate lay.
Simplex gave him the same answer which he had given to the robber captain, Janko. He said that he was a poor orphan.
At this the Kaimakan fairly screamed with laughter.
"Ha! ha! Of course! of course! Just as if you had got it all up. All the lot of you answer like that when the question is first put to you. I know! I know! You have neither father nor mother, don't even know where you were born, are as poor as a church mouse, carry your house on your shoulders, your bread in your breast, and begging is your trade. 'Tis the usual answer to the first question, but we'll now see what you've got to say to the second question."