“How about al Liwa?” suggested Georgiades.
John rang.
“What’s all this? This chap Guzman getting away?”
“Not quite,” said Owen, and told him.
“That’s lovely,” said John happily. “The Sirdar will like that. He really will!”
Then Paul.
“The Khedive’s protested.”
“He has?”
“Your action is precipitate and unjustified. He says.”
“What did the Agent say?” asked Owen.
“That he was bloody lucky he didn’t find himself on the boat, too, since the Sirdar was inclined to be even more precipitate.”
They both laughed.
“Actually,” said Paul, “the Old Man thinks it’s neat. No fuss. No bother. Effective. Nice to have a Mamur Zapt who’s got a bit of touch, he said. No, he really did.”
The article appeared in a first-rate political weekly and was much read. Abdul Murr was discredited. The two extremist wings of the Nationalist Party turned on him and devoured the moderates. Afterwards, they turned on each other.
Nuri’s plans, of course, fell through. Those plans. Being Nuri, he soon had others.
Ahmed was sent on a long course of study to France.
Mustafa was discreetly released, completely bewildered by the whole affair and content that matters should rest in the capable hands of his wife. Her sister was duly delivered and looked after.
When the San Demetriou docked at Istanbul there was a reception committee for Guzman, and Owen rather lost touch with what happened after that.
He himself took Zeinab to the opera.