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Authors: Eric Ambler
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hesitated. He glanced at Kopeikin; but the Russian was staring at his finger nails.
“Well, I don’t know, Colonel. This is all very good of you, but I can’t help thinking that, in view of the circumstances which you have explained to me, I ought to get in touch with the British Consul here, or with the British Embassy, before deciding anything.”
Colonel Haki lit a cigarette. “And what do you expect the Consul or the Ambassador to do? Send you home in a cruiser?” He laughed unpleasantly. “My dear Mr. Graham, I am not asking you to decide anything. I amtelling you what you must do. You are, I must again remind you, of great value to my country in your present state of health. You must allow me to protect my country’s interests in my own way. I think that you are probably tired now and a little upset. I do not wish to harass you, but I must explain that, if you do not agree to follow my instructions, I shall have no alternative but to arrest you, have an order issued for your deportation and put you on board the
Sestri Levante
under guard. I hope that I make myself clear.”
Graham felt himself reddening. “Quite clear. Would you like to handcuff me now? It will save a lot of trouble. You need …”
“I think,” put in Kopeikin hastily, “that I should do as the Colonel suggests, my dear fellow. It is the best thing.”
“I prefer to be my own judge of that, Kopeikin.” He looked from one to the other of them angrily. He felt confused and wretched. Things had been moving too quickly for him. Colonel Haki he disliked intensely. Kopeikin seemed to be no longer capable of thinking for himself. He felt that they were making decisions with the glib irresponsibility of schoolboys planning a game of Red Indians. And yet the devil of it was that those conclusions were inescapably logical. His life was threatened. All they were asking him to do was to go home by another and safer route. It was a reasonable request but.… Then he shrugged his shoulders. “All right. I seem to have no choice.”
“Exactly, Mr. Graham.” The Colonel smoothed out his tunic with the air of one who has reasoned wisely with a child. “Now we can make our arrangements. As soonas the shipping company’s offices are open Mr. Kopeikin can arrange for your passage and obtain a refund for your railway ticket. I will see that the names and particulars of the other passengers are submitted to me for approval before the ship sails. You need have no fears, Mr. Graham, of your fellow travellers. But I am afraid that you will not find them very
chic
or the boat very comfortable. This line is actually the cheapest route to and from Istanbul if you live in the west. But you will not, I am sure, mind a little discomfort if you have peace of mind to compensate for it.”
“As long as I get back to England by the eighth, I don’t care how I travel.”
“That is the right spirit. And now I suggest that you remain in this building until it is time for you to leave. We will make you as comfortable as possible. Mr. Kopeikin can collect your suitcase from the hotel. I will see that a doctor looks at your hand later on to see that it is still all right.” He looked at his watch. “The concièrge can make us some coffee now. Later, he can get some food for you from the restaurant round the corner.” He stood up. “I will go and see about it now. We cannot save you from bullets to let you die of starvation, eh?”
“It’s very kind of you,” said Graham; and then, as the Colonel disappeared down the corridor: “I owe you an apolegy Kopeikin. I behaved badly.”
Kopeikin looked distressed. “My dear fellow! You cannot be blamed. I am glad everything has been settled so quickly.”
“Quickly, yes.” He hesitated. “Is this man Haki to be trusted?”
“You do not like him either, eh?” Kopeikin chuckled. “I would not trust him with a woman; but with you—yes.”
“You approve of my going on this boat?”
“I do. By the way,
“Well, I don’t know, Colonel. This is all very good of you, but I can’t help thinking that, in view of the circumstances which you have explained to me, I ought to get in touch with the British Consul here, or with the British Embassy, before deciding anything.”
Colonel Haki lit a cigarette. “And what do you expect the Consul or the Ambassador to do? Send you home in a cruiser?” He laughed unpleasantly. “My dear Mr. Graham, I am not asking you to decide anything. I amtelling you what you must do. You are, I must again remind you, of great value to my country in your present state of health. You must allow me to protect my country’s interests in my own way. I think that you are probably tired now and a little upset. I do not wish to harass you, but I must explain that, if you do not agree to follow my instructions, I shall have no alternative but to arrest you, have an order issued for your deportation and put you on board the
Sestri Levante
under guard. I hope that I make myself clear.”
Graham felt himself reddening. “Quite clear. Would you like to handcuff me now? It will save a lot of trouble. You need …”
“I think,” put in Kopeikin hastily, “that I should do as the Colonel suggests, my dear fellow. It is the best thing.”
“I prefer to be my own judge of that, Kopeikin.” He looked from one to the other of them angrily. He felt confused and wretched. Things had been moving too quickly for him. Colonel Haki he disliked intensely. Kopeikin seemed to be no longer capable of thinking for himself. He felt that they were making decisions with the glib irresponsibility of schoolboys planning a game of Red Indians. And yet the devil of it was that those conclusions were inescapably logical. His life was threatened. All they were asking him to do was to go home by another and safer route. It was a reasonable request but.… Then he shrugged his shoulders. “All right. I seem to have no choice.”
“Exactly, Mr. Graham.” The Colonel smoothed out his tunic with the air of one who has reasoned wisely with a child. “Now we can make our arrangements. As soonas the shipping company’s offices are open Mr. Kopeikin can arrange for your passage and obtain a refund for your railway ticket. I will see that the names and particulars of the other passengers are submitted to me for approval before the ship sails. You need have no fears, Mr. Graham, of your fellow travellers. But I am afraid that you will not find them very
chic
or the boat very comfortable. This line is actually the cheapest route to and from Istanbul if you live in the west. But you will not, I am sure, mind a little discomfort if you have peace of mind to compensate for it.”
“As long as I get back to England by the eighth, I don’t care how I travel.”
“That is the right spirit. And now I suggest that you remain in this building until it is time for you to leave. We will make you as comfortable as possible. Mr. Kopeikin can collect your suitcase from the hotel. I will see that a doctor looks at your hand later on to see that it is still all right.” He looked at his watch. “The concièrge can make us some coffee now. Later, he can get some food for you from the restaurant round the corner.” He stood up. “I will go and see about it now. We cannot save you from bullets to let you die of starvation, eh?”
“It’s very kind of you,” said Graham; and then, as the Colonel disappeared down the corridor: “I owe you an apolegy Kopeikin. I behaved badly.”
Kopeikin looked distressed. “My dear fellow! You cannot be blamed. I am glad everything has been settled so quickly.”
“Quickly, yes.” He hesitated. “Is this man Haki to be trusted?”
“You do not like him either, eh?” Kopeikin chuckled. “I would not trust him with a woman; but with you—yes.”
“You approve of my going on this boat?”
“I do. By the way,
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