"Very well. He may leave the writing with me. If the captain comes I will deliver it."
"No. The message is from Esh-Sham (Damascus). He will give it only into the captain's own hand."
"What is your name?"
"Suliman."
"What is his?"
"God knows! He came with another man by train; and the other man, who is much more mad than this one, gave me five piastres to bring this one to your kahwi!" [Coffe-pot]
Yussuf shut the door, and discussed the proposition with his customers. At the end of two or three minutes his head appeared again.
"You say Staff-Captain Ali Mirza is expected here?"
"So said the man at the station."
"What do you know of Staff-Captain Ali Mirza?"