Chapter 10 chapter Ten

"Hello, friend Selim! Hello! May Allah bless you and your family!" Lord Kerabon said, firmly shaking the hand of his Odessa trading partner. "Hello, nephew Ahme!" Lord Kerabong hugged his Ahme nephew tightly to his chest. "Hello, little Amasia!" Lord Kerabong kissed the girl who was to be his niece on both cheeks. All this happened so quickly that no one had time to answer. "Good-bye now, on the road!" said Lord Kerabong, then turning to Van Metertaine. The calm Dutchman was not introduced, and his face was as expressionless as some strange figure in the main scene of a play.

Seeing Lord Kerabong kissing and shaking hands so passionately, everyone no longer suspected that he had come for an early wedding.So when they heard him yell "On the road," they were all dumbfounded. Ahme was the first to break the silence and said: "Why, let's go!" "Yes! On the road, nephew!" "You want to go, uncle?" "Leave immediately!" Everyone was stunned again, and Van Mittern whispered in Bruno's ear: "Honestly, this way of acting is the character of my friend Kerabong!" "Great!" Bruno replied.

Now Amasya looks at Ahme, Ahme looks at Selim, and Najib just stares at this incredible uncle - a man who can start before he even arrives! "Come along, Van Mettaine," said Lord Kerabon again, as he made his way to the door. "Sir, can you tell me? . . . " Ahme asked Van Mittern. "What can I tell you?" asked the Dutchman, already following his friend. But Lord Kerabong stopped again when he was about to go out, and said to the banker: "By the way, friend Selim," he asked, "can you exchange a few thousand piastres for rubles for me?" "Thousands of piastres?..." Selim replied, not even trying to figure it out anymore.

"Yes... Selim... for Russian money, which I will use when passing through the border in Moscow." "But, uncle, you always tell us?..." Ahme cried, and the girl agreed. "What's the exchange rate today?" Lord Kerabong asked. "3.5 percent," replied Selim, who in a split second was a banker again. "What! Three past five?" "The ruble is going up!" Selim replied. "The market is bullish..." "Well, my friend Selim, it's only three-four for me! You heard me! . . . three-four!" "For you, yes!...For you...Kerabon friends, not even a little handling fee!"

Selim the banker obviously doesn't know what he's talking and doing anymore. Needless to say, Yaud, who was sitting at the other end of the corridor, was watching this scene with great attention. What would be beneficial or unfavorable to his plan? At this time, Ahme came over and grabbed his uncle's arm, and when he was about to cross the threshold, he finally grabbed the stubborn man and made him walk back. "Uncle," he said, "you hugged each of us when you came..." "No! No! Nephew," replied Kerabong, "when I'm on my way again!"

"Well, uncle! . . . I don't want to contradict you . . . but at least tell us why you came to Odessa?" "I've come to Odessa," replied Kerabon, "only because I passed through Odessa. If I hadn't passed through Odessa at all, I wouldn't have come to Odessa!—Is it true, Van Mettain?" The Dutchman slowly lowered his head in agreement. "Oh! In fact, you haven't been introduced yet, let me introduce you!" Lord Kailabon said. He said and turned to Selim: "My friend Van Mittain," said he, "my trading partner in Rotterdam, and now I'm taking him to supper in Skuthari!"

"To Skutar!" cried the banker. "It seems so! . . . " said Van Mettaine. "And his servant Bruno," went on Kerabon, "an upright servant who would not leave his master!" "It seems so! . . . " Bruno's answer sounded like a precise echo. "Let's hit the road now!" Ahme intervenes again: "Well, Uncle, I beseech you that no one here wants to oppose you, but if you came to Odessa only because you passed through Odessa, which route do you want to take from Constantinople to Skutaly? road?" "It's the way around the Black Sea!"

"Go around the Black Sea!" Ahme yelled. There was a silence. "Oh, it's for that!" Kerabong said again. "I'm going from Constantinople to Skutaly by the Black Sea. Tell me what's surprising and what's so special about it?" Banker Selim and Ahme glanced at each other.Are the rich wholesalers in Galata crazy? "My friend Kerabong," said Selim, "we never want to hinder you..." This is the most common phrase used when starting any conversation with a stubborn person. "...We don't mean to hinder you, but we think that the only way to get from Constantinople to Skutaly is to cross the Bosphorus Strait!"

"Now there is no Bosphorus anymore!" "There is no Bosphorus anymore?..." Ahme repeated. "At least not for me! Now there is an unfair tax to cross the strait, 10 barras per person. So far there is no tax on this water. This is imposed by the new Turk government. The strait Only those who will obediently pay this tax exist!" "What! . . . a new tax!" cried Ahmey, who understood at once what adventures an incorrigible obstinacy had thrown his uncle into. "That's right," said Lord Kerabong, still more excitedly, "I'm going aboard my boat...to supper in Skuthari...with my friend Pham Mittain, and this ten barra The tax just came out!...Of course I refused to pay!...They wouldn't let me pass!...I said I knew I could reach Skutali without crossing the Bosphorus!...They said It can't be done!...I say it can be done!...It can be done! By Allah! I'd rather have my hand cut off than take these 10 balats out of my pocket !No! By Muhammad! By Muhammad! They don't understand Kerabang!"

They obviously don't understand Kerabong!But his friend Selim, his nephew Ahme, Van Mittain, and Amasiya knew him well, and after all these twists and turns, they saw clearly that it was impossible to change his mind. of.So instead of arguing, which will only complicate things, it is better to accept the fait accompli. It is only in this way that it is most appropriate, so that everyone can reach a consensus without even negotiating first. "After all, my uncle, you are right!" said Ahme. "Absolutely!" Selim added. "Always right!" Kerabong replied. "All unreasonable requests must be rejected," Ahme continued. "Rejection, even if it will destroy your family..."

"...death!" Kerabong went on. "So you are right in refusing to pay this tax and proving that you know you can get from Constantinople to Skutaly without crossing the Bosphorus!  …" "And just don't pay 10 barras, even if it costs me 500,000 barras!" "But you're not in a great hurry to start, I suppose? . . . " asked Ahme. "Very anxious, nephew," Kerabong replied. "You know why I had to come back six weeks ago!" "Good! Uncle, will you stay with us in Odessa for eight days? . . . " "Not for five days, not for four days, not for one day," Kerabong replied, "not even for an hour!" Seeing that his nature had gained the upper hand again, Ahme motioned for Amasya to speak. "What about our wedding, Mr. Kerabong?" asked the girl, taking his hand. "Your wedding, Amasia?" Kerabong replied, "it's not going to be postponed anyway, it has to be before the end of next month! . . . then it will be before then! . . . would delay it by a day... as long as I set off at once, there will be no delay!" Thus all hope for the unexpected arrival of Lord Kerabong was dashed.He said that the wedding will not be brought forward, but it will not be postponed either!well!Who can tell?How could such a long and difficult journey be anticipated under such circumstances, with all its contingencies? Ahme couldn't help making an annoyed gesture. Fortunately, his uncle didn't see or catch a glimpse of the dark cloud on Amasya's forehead, and didn't hear Najib muttering: "Ah! mean uncle!" "Besides," the uncle made a suggestion in an indisputable tone, "besides, I'm going to ask Ahme to go with me!" "Damn it! It's a straight shot, and it's hard to dodge!" whispered Van Metertain. "No way!" Bruno replied. Ahme was indeed hit head-on.When Amasiya heard that her fiancé was leaving, she was too shocked to stay beside Najib and couldn't move.Najib really wanted to gouge Lord Kerabong's eyeballs out. Deep in the corridor, the captain of the "Ghidal" listened to their conversation verbatim.The change clearly worked in his favor. Selim, though he had little hope of changing his friend's decision, was obliged to intervene, saying: "Then, Kerabong, must your nephew go with you for a walk around the Black Sea?" "Not necessarily," Kerabong replied, "but I don't think Ahme would hesitate to accompany me!" "But..." Selim continued. "But?..." said the uncle through clenched teeth, as he always does when starting any argument. After Lord Kelabon uttered the last word, there was a minute of silence, but it seemed very long.But Ahme had already made up his mind.He whispered to the girl, to make her understand that however painful his departure might be to them, it was better not to refuse; for without him the journey might be delayed for various reasons; with He, on the other hand, can finish the trip as quickly as possible; he is fluent in Russian and will not waste a day or an hour; Yes, finally, before the end of next month, when Amasya must marry in order to keep her huge fortune, he will bring Kerabong to the left bank of the Bosphorus. Amasya didn't have the courage to agree, but she knew it was the best way. "Well, it's settled, Uncle!" said Ahme. "I'll accompany you, and I'm ready, but..." "Oh! It's unconditional, nephew!" "Forget it, there are no conditions!" Ahme replied. Yet he said in his heart: "I'll let you run, and run to your exhaustion, hey! Most obstinate uncle!" "Then hit the road," Kerabong said. He turned to Selim again: "Where's the ruble I exchanged for piastres? . . . " "I will give it to you in Odessa, and I will go with you," Selim replied. "Are you ready, Van Mettaine?" Kerabon asked. "Always be ready." "Well then, Ahme," Kerabong said again, "hug your fiancée, give her a big hug, and go!" Ahme had already embraced the girl in her arms, and Amasia could not hold back her tears. "Ahme, my dear Ahme! . . . " she kept saying. "Don't cry, dear Amasia!" said Ahme. "Our wedding isn't coming sooner but it's not going to be late, I promise you! . . . only a few weeks apart!" "Oh, my dear mistress," said Najib, "if only Lord Kerabong could break a leg or two before leaving here! Would you like me to do it?" But Ahmey was right when he told the gypsy girl to be quiet.There is no doubt that Najib is the woman who will do anything to keep this difficult uncle. After saying goodbye, they kissed each other for the last few kisses.All were moved, and the Dutchman felt a pang of pain in his heart.Only Lord Kailabon turned a blind eye to everyone's warmth, or didn't want to see it. "Is the carriage ready?" He asked Nisib who was walking into the corridor at this moment. "The carriage is ready," Nisib replied. "On the road!" Kerabong said. "Ah! Modern Ottoman gentlemen in European dress! Ah! New Turk gentlemen who don't even know how to get fat anymore!  …" This is obviously an intolerable depravity in the eyes of Lord Kerabong. "...Ah! Apostate gentlemen who obey Mahmud's order, I will show you that there are old believers you can never conquer!" No one refuted him, but Master Kairabang kept talking more and more. "Ah! You're going to monopolize the Bosporus for your own gain! Well, I don't need your Bosphorus! I don't care about your Bosphorus!—what do you say, Van Mettain? . . . " "I have nothing to say," replied Van Mettaine, in fact so cautiously that he did not even open his mouth! "Your Bosphorus! Their Bosphorus!" said Lord Kerabong, pointing his fist to the south again. "Fortunately, the Black Sea is over there! There is a seaside strip in the Black Sea, which is not reserved for tourist vehicles. I'm going to go along it, I'm going to go around it! Well! My friends, can you see those people from here? Govt employees, what will be on their faces when they see me appearing on the heights of Skutali without throwing even half a bala into the bowl of these govt beggars expression!" It should be admitted that Lord Kerabon was very menacing in The Last Curse, and he did a great job. "Come on, Ahme! Come on, Van Mettaine!" he cried. "On the road! On the road! On the road!" He was already standing at the door, but Selim stopped him with one sentence: "Kerabon friend, I have a quick question." "Don't ask any questions!" "Well, I just wanted to remind you," said the banker again. "Hey! Will we have time? . . . " "Listen, friend Kerabong. After you have completed your circle around the Black Sea, what are you going to do once you are in Skutali?" "Me?...then I...I..." "I don't think you'll ever settle in Šgita and never return to Constantinople. Where is your business?" "No..." Kerabon replied hesitantly. "Actually, my uncle," Ahme also reminded, "as long as you persist a little bit and stop coming from the Bosphorus, our wedding will be..." "It doesn't get any easier, my friend Selim!" Kerabong replied, avoiding the first question that had embarrassed him. "Who won't let you and Amasya come to Skutali? It's true, they'll pay ten balas each to cross their Bosporus, but you don't have any reputation in this matter." As implicated as my reputation!" "Yes! Yes! Come to Skutali in a month!" cried Ahme. "Wait for me there, my dear Amasya, and we will try not to keep you waiting too long!" "Very well! Meet us in Skuta!" Selim replied. "We're going there for the wedding, but after all, my friend Kerabon, won't you come back to Constantinople after the wedding?" "I'm coming back," Kerabong said loudly, "Of course I'm coming back!" "Then how come back?" "Then, either this annoying tax is abolished, and I can cross the Bosphorus without paying the tax..." "What if it's not cancelled?" "If it's not canceled?..." Lord Kelabang said with a beautiful gesture, "I swear in the name of Allah! I will take the same road, and walk around the Black Sea again!"