Chapter 23 Chapter Six

The Rizal Caravanserai, like all buildings of this type, was perfectly suited to serve travelers who were taking a break before entering Trabzon.His proprietor--the keeper of the inn, as they are called--a Turk named Kendros, shrewd and scheming, the most cunning of his race, managed the inn with the utmost care.He tried his best to meet the requirements of passing passengers in order to obtain the maximum benefit of his budget.He always agreed with them—even at the checkout, showing complete condescension to such respectable travelers, when he had inflated the accounts beforehand to arrive at a total which was still very profitable.

The layout of the Rizal Caravan Inn is as follows.A large walled yard with gates looking out into the fields.On each side of the gate there are two sentry towers with Turkish flags hanging from the top of the sentry towers to monitor the surrounding movement when the road is not safe.Doors in the thick walls led to separate rooms in which travelers came to spend the night, for few people lived during the day.There are some Egyptian figs on the side of the yard, which cast a little shadow on the sand when the sun is full at noon.In the center of the yard was a well level with the ground, connected to a bucket water wheel that was always rotating, and the bucket could pour water into a semicircular pool.In the hayloft outside was a row of stables, where the horses had plenty of food and hay for their pads.At the back there were stakes for tying mules and camels not so accustomed to the comfort of stables.

The inn was not completely full that evening, and some of the travelers were going to Trabzon, or to the Eastern provinces, Armenia, Persia, or Kurdistan. Some 20 rooms are occupied, and most of these guests have rested. Nearly 9 o'clock, there were only two people walking in the yard.They chatted furiously, sometimes stopping only to peer impatiently outside. "Let me tell you again, Master Safar," said the person behind, "this is the Rizal Caravan Inn, and the date booked in Yaud's letter is here, and today is it!" "The dog!" Safar yelled, "what the hell is he not here?"

"Shouldn't he be late now?" "Why do you want to bring Miss Amasia here instead of directly to Trabzon?" It can be seen that neither Safar nor Skarbant knew about the death of the "Gidal" and all the consequences arising therefrom. "A letter from Yaoud," continued Scarbunter, "from the port of Atina. It said nothing about the abducted girl, but invited me to come to the Rizal caravanser tonight. .” "And he's not here yet!" Lord Safar shouted, taking two or three steps towards the door. "Hmph! He must be careful that I am impatient to wait! I have a presentiment of some disaster..."

"Why, Lord Safar? The weather on the Black Sea is very bad. The sailboat probably hasn't reached Trabzon yet, and it was probably lost in the port of Atina..." "Who told us, Scarbonte, that when Yaud tried to kidnap that girl, he would first succeed in Odessa?" "Yaud is not only a brave sailor, Lord Safar," Skarbant replied, "but also a very clever man!" "Smartness alone is not enough!" replied the Captain of Malta, in a calm voice, who had stood motionless by the threshold of the caravanser for a moment. Lord Safar and Scarbonte turned their heads immediately, and the steward shouted:

"Aud!" "You're finally here!" Lord Safar said roughly and walked towards him. "Yes, Lord Safar," the captain bowed respectfully and replied, "Yes!...I'm coming...Finally here!" "What about the banker Selim's daughter?" Safar asked. "Does it mean you didn't succeed in Odessa? . . . " "The daughter of the banker Selim," replied Yaud, "was kidnapped by me about six weeks ago, after her fiancé Ahme was compelled to travel with his uncle around the Black Sea. Shortly thereafter. I sailed straight away to Trabzon. But in the weather of the autumnal equinox, the sailboat was pushed eastward, and in spite of all my efforts, it ran aground on the rocks of Adina, with all my crew They all died at the bottom of the sea.”

"Your crew! . . . " shouted Scarbunter. "yes!" "What about Amasia?..." Safar asked immediately, seemingly unmoved by the sinking of the "Gidal". "She was saved," Yaud replied, "she was saved together with the young maid I kidnapped at the same time!" "But if she's saved..." Scarbont asked. "Where is she?" Safar yelled. "My lord," replied the Captain of Malta, "fate is against me, or rather against you!" "Say it!" Safar's attitude was full of threats. "The daughter of the banker Selim," replied Yaoud, "was rescued by her fiancé Ahme, and it was a most regrettable coincidence that had just brought him to the place of his wreck!"

"Saved by him..." Scarbant called out. "So where is this time?..." Safar asked. "At this moment, the girl, accompanied by Ahme, Ahme's uncle, and several others, was heading towards Trebzon. From there they went to Skutari for the wedding which was to take place before the end of the month. !" "Stupid!" Master Safar yelled. "You let Amasya go instead of getting her out yourself!" "I will do it at the cost of my life, Lord Safar," Yaud replied, "If this Ahme hadn't been there when the Jidal sank, she would be in your palace right now! "

"Hey, you are not worthy to accept the task entrusted to you!" Safar retorted, unable to restrain a strong anger. "Listen to me, Lord Safar," Scarbunter began. "Just calm down and you'll see that Yaud did everything he could!" "Everything!" said the Maltese captain. "When it comes to fulfilling my orders," Safar replied, "all efforts will not be enough!" "The past is the past, Lord Safar!" Skarbant said again. "We're going to look now and see what opportunities we have. Banker Selim's daughter might not have been hijacked in Odessa...and she was! She might have been killed when the Gidal Drowned...but she lives! She might have become Ahme's wife...but not yet!...for there is no failure!"

"No!...Not at all!..." Yaud said. "I followed and watched Ahme and his companions from the moment they left Atina after the crash! They were not on the alert on the road, which was a long way, from Trabzon to Bosphorus the Strait of Anatolia, and across Anatolia! Neither Amasia nor her maid knew where the Gidal was going! Besides, no one knew Safar and Skarbant, so Couldn't this little party be led into some trap, and..." "Scalbunte," Safar said coldly, "this girl, I must! If fate is against me, I will fight it! My wish must not be unsatisfied!"

"It will be enough, Lord Safar!" Skarbant replied. "That's right! Between Trabzon and Skutari, in these out-of-the-way places, it's possible...even convenient...to divert this little procession...perhaps by giving them a guide to get them lost, and then Send a party of your hired men against them! . . . but it will take force, and if trickery succeeds, it is better to use trickery!" "How to use tricks?" Safar asked. "You mean," Scarpont asked the Maltese captain, "that Ahme and his companions are now walking slowly towards Trabzon?" "Yes, Scarbunte," Yaoud replied, "and I should add that they must have spent the night at the Rizal Caravanser today." "Then," asked Scarbonte, "can't you think of something here, some trouble...to keep them...to separate the girl from her betrothed?" "I believe in force more!" Safar said roughly. "Very well then," said Scarborough, "we shall use force if we can't succeed! But let me stay here and watch..." "Shut up, Scarbunte," Yaud said, grabbing the steward's arm, "There are people here!" Sure enough, two people just entered the yard.One is Kidros, the keeper of the caravansere; the other is an important figure—or so it sounds—who should be introduced to the reader. Lord Safar, Skarbant, and Yaud hid in a dark corner of the courtyard, from where they could freely listen to the conversation of the two men, not to mention that this figure was unrestrained and spoke in a loud and arrogant voice. It was a Kurdish lord named Yanar. This mountainous region of Asia, which includes ancient Asiria and Mediah, is known in modern geography as Kurdistan.It is bordered by Persia and Turkey, so it is divided into Turkish Kurdistan and Persian Kurdistan.Not least this Turkish Kurdistan formed part of the pashas of Cherezor and Mosul, as well as the Pashas of Van and Baghdad, with a total of several hundred thousand inhabitants Lord Yanar.He had arrived at the Rizal Caravansern the night before with his sister, the venerable Sarabul. Lord Yanar and his sister had been traveling at random since leaving Mosul two months ago, and the two of them were going to Trabzon, where they planned to stay for a few weeks.Venerable Sarabur—as she is called in her native Pasha prefecture—was between 30 and 32 years old and already the widow of three Kurdish lords.All these husbands could do for the happiness of their wives was to contribute their unfortunately too short lives.Their widow was still very attractive in figure and appearance, and was happy to make up for the loss of the first three by the consolation of a fourth husband; It is also difficult to achieve.Because of her Kurdish demeanor and her brusqueness, she was enough to scare off anyone who dared to propose.Her brother Yanar, who became her protector and guard, advised her to travel--what opportunities there would be in the journey!So the two left Kurdistan and were on their way to Trabzon. Lord Yanar was 45 years old, tall, impatient, and fierce-looking—a fake hero who came into the world with a frown.His hooked nose, sunken eyes, shaved head, and huge mustache made him look more Armenian than Turk.He wore a tall felt hat with a piece of bright red silk around it, a robe with open sleeves, a tunic embroidered with gold trim, and wide trousers that fell down to the ankles.With laced, ruffled leather boots on his feet, and a woolen shawl around his waist, with a whole set of daggers, pistols, and scimitars stuck in it, he looked truly terrifying.So Boss Kidros always spoke to him with the utmost respect, like a man who has to beg for mercy when faced with a loaded gun. "Yes, Monsieur Yanar," said Kiedros at this moment, with the most certain gestures at every word, "I repeat to you that the judge will be here to-night, and at dawn tomorrow morning. He's going to investigate." "Boss Kidros," Yanar replied, "you are the owner of this caravan inn. If you cannot guarantee the safety of the passengers here, let Allah strangle you to death!" "Of course, Lord Yanar, of course!" "Then last night, ruffians, thieves, or whatever... dared to enter the room of my sister, the venerable Sarabul!" Yanar pointed to an open door in one wall of the courtyard. "Rogue!" Kiedros yelled. "We will not leave this caravanser until they are found, arrested, tried and hanged!" Boss Kidros doesn't seem to be completely convinced whether someone really came to steal the night before.It is certain that the disconsolate widow awoke for one reason or another, left her room, and cried out for her brother in terror, and the whole caravanserment fell into disarray, The gangster took the opportunity to escape without leaving any traces. At any rate, Scarbunter overheard their conversation verbatim, and immediately considered what could be exploited in the adventure. "And we are Kurds!" Master Yanar said arrogantly again, in order to emphasize the importance of this word. "We are the Kurds of Mosul, the Kurds of the stately capital of Kurdistan, and we will not allow any loss to the Kurds unless just compensation is passed through the law!" "But, my lord, what is the loss?" Boss Kidros boldly asked, while taking a few steps back cautiously. "What loss?" Yanar roared. "Yes... Your Excellency!...Last night, the gangster tried to enter your noble sister's room, but in the end they didn't steal anything..." "Nothing has been stolen! . . . " replied Monsieur Yarnar, "nothing... Yes, but it was all due to my sister's courage, all to her perseverance! She didn't use the pistol to fight with Ben Are you as proficient as a knife?" "Same," said Boss Kiedros again, "whoever these gangsters are, they have all escaped!" "It is only right for them to run away, Boss Kidros! The noble and fearless Sarabul can kill two of them when they come two, and four of them when they come! So tonight, she will still be as full as I am." Armed, whoever dares to approach her room will be in trouble!" "You know very well, Lord Yanar," continued Boss Kidros, "you don't have to worry about anything, these thieves - if they are thieves - dare not take any more risks..." "What! If they are thieves!" Lord Yanar roared in a voice like thunder. "Who do you think they are, these robbers?" "Perhaps... some self-righteous people... some lunatics!..." replied Kidros, trying to protect the reputation of his caravanserai. "Yes! . . . why not . . . attracted . . . to some lover by . "In the name of Muhammad," said Lord Yarnar, laying his hand on his weapon, "this is a good show! A Kurdish woman's honor is at stake! Someone wants to tarnish a Kurdish woman's honor!  … . . . then arrest, imprisonment, and stakes will not suffice! . . . nor will the most dreadful punishment suffice . . . unless this daring fellow has the position and property to make up for his wrongs!" "Be merciful, please calm down, Monsieur Yanar," replied Master Kiedros, "and be patient! The investigation will find out who is guilty. I repeat, the judge is coming. It is I I went to Trabzon to find him myself, and after hearing what had happened, he assured me that he had a way—a sure way—to spot criminals, whoever they were!" "What's the way?" Master Yanar asked in a mocking tone. "I don't know," replied Master Kiedros, "but the judge affirms that the method is absolutely sound!" "Okay!" Lord Yanar said. "Let's see tomorrow. I'm going back to my room, but I'm going to keep vigil...with weapons!" With these words the dreadful man went to his room adjoining his sister.He paused again at the door, and stretched out a menacing arm into the yard of the caravanserai. "A Kurdish woman's reputation is no joke!" he yelled in a terrible voice. Then he disappeared. Boss Kidros let out a long sigh of relief. "At last," he thought, "we'll see how it all ends! As for the thieves, if there are any, they'd better have escaped!" At this time, Scarbant was talking with Master Safar and Yaud in a low voice. "Yes," he said to them, "thanks to this, perhaps there is something to be done!" "What are you going to do?..." Safar asked. "I'm going to let some bad luck happen to this Ahme right here, and make him stay in Trebzon for a few days, and even make him leave his fiancée!" "Okay, but if this strategy fails..." "By force then," Skarbant replied. At this moment, Boss Kidros caught a glimpse of Safar, Skarbant, and Yaud who he hadn't seen just now.He went up to them, and asked in the most genial tone: "Do you guys need anything..." "Some travelers are coming to spend the night in the caravanserai," Skarbant replied. At this moment, some voices came from outside the door.It was the sound of a procession, horses and mules alike, halting at the outer gate. "They must have come?" said Kiedros boss. As he spoke, he walked further into the courtyard in order to see the newcomers. "Sure enough," he continued standing at the door, "there are some tourists on horseback! Judging from their appearance, they must be rich people!... At least I will go up to them and serve them!" So he went out. But at the same time Scarbunter went all the way to the entrance of the courtyard, looked out and said: "Are these passengers Ahme and his companions?" he asked the Maltese captain. "That's them!" Yaud replied, backing away quickly so as not to be recognized. "They?" Lord Safar called, and he also walked forward, but did not step out of the courtyard of the caravanserai. "Yes!..." Yaud replied, "That is Ahme, his fiancée, her maid...two servants..." "We need to get ready!" Skarbant said, and motioned Yaoud to hide. "Have you heard the voice of Lord Kailabon?" the captain of Malta asked again. "Kerabon?..." Safar called out immediately. So he hurried to the door. "What's the matter with you, Lord Safar?" Scarbunter asked in great surprise. "Why does the name Kerabong excite you so much?" "He!...it's him!..." Safar replied. "This is the same traveler I have already met on the Caucasus railway... He wants to fight me and prevent my horse from passing!" "He knows you?" "Yes...it's not difficult for me to continue arguing with him here...keep him..." "Oh! It won't keep his nephew!" replied Scarbunter. "I can completely get rid of nephews and uncles!" "No!...No!...Don't quarrel!...Don't make a sound!...' replied Scarbunte insisting. "Believe me, Master Safar, this Kairabang cannot suspect that you are here, he doesn't know that Yaud kidnapped the banker Selim's daughter for you!... If you do this, everything may be ruined! " "Okay then!" Safar said, "I'll go, I trust your flexibility, Scarbant, but it must be successful!" "I will succeed, Master Safar, just let me do it! Go back to Trabzon, just tonight..." "I'll go back." "You go too, Yaud, leave the caravan inn immediately!" Skarbant said again. "They know you, don't let people recognize you!" "They're coming!" Yaud said. "Let's all go!...Leave me here alone!..." shouted Scarbant, pushing the captain of the "Gidal" with his hand. "But how to walk away without being seen by them?" Safar asked. "Here!" replied Scarbunter, opening a door set in the wall on the left, which opened onto fields. Lord Safar and Captain Malta walked out immediately. "It's time!" Scarbant thought. "The important thing now is to see and hear clearly!"