`We're a bit late for our appointment owing to having to collect our baggage and our chat with the sergeant,' Lovelace remarked, 'but fortunately time is the last thing that matters in the East. The old boy will probably keep us waiting, anyhow.' He knocked loudly upon the great double gates with his clenched fist, and a strapping Negro opened a small door set in them.
Lovelace spoke to him in French and they were led through to an open courtyard where an Arab, whose teeth displayed more gold fillings than ivory, received them. His master, he said, welcomed their coming and would be happy to see them in one moment. In the meantime would they be seated?
A few moments later the Arab returned. As they had honoured his master's house, he said, by bringing a pearl of beauty, who was doubtless the wife of one of them, would not the lady deign to follow him to the women's apartments where his master's wives would derive great pleasure from entertaining her?
They want you to go to the harem. The women there are all agog to see a white girl, I expect.' Lovelace said rapidly to Valerie in English. `There's nothing Behind the invitation it's only a courtesy but I'd rather you remained with us.'
He turned back to the Arab. `The lady thanks your master and His Excellency's wives, but as she has never travelled in the East before, she begs permission to meet so powerful a sheik. Later, she would be honoured to wait upon his ladies.'
With a flashing smile from the gold filled teeth and a low obeisance the servant withdrew.
Lovelace translated what he had said to Valerie, and added, `When the interview is over I shall start scratching my left ear. That's the signal for you to feign illness; but don't faint, otherwise they'll want to carry; you into the women's quarters. If you're just ill it'll provide an excuse for us to get you away quickly without your having to go there.'
`But I want to, Valerie protested. `It'd be terribly interesting to see what those legendary houris, who're paid to be kept in rich Orientals' harems, are really like.'
He shook his head. `In the ordinary way it's be perfectly safe for you to do so, but for all we know Ben Ibrim has been warned to keep a look out for us. If he has you'd find yourself a prisoner there, and that'd be far from funny. This is a ticklish business, and I don't want you out of my sight, even for a moment.'
The `one moment' the Arab servant had first mentioned expanded itself into an hour and a quarter, but they were not impatient. After the burning streets, and `he noisome perfumes which pervaded the hotel bar, the courtyard was a paradise.
A fountain played in it, moistening the overheated air as it splashed into a white tiled basin. Only a man of immense wealth, as Lovelace remarked, could possible have afforded such a luxury in Jibuti. Palm trees planted in vast tubs stood at the four corners of the courtyard, and a black boy worked like an automaton at a punkah which wafted the refreshing air towards them. Above, as from the bottom of a great square well, they saw the myriad stars twinkling in a black velvet sky; alive, near and brilliant, in a way which is unbelievable to those who have seen them only from a northern latitude. The peace and beauty of the place revived Christopher and Valerie from their fatigue as nothing else could have done.
At last the man with the gold filled teeth appeared again. He led them through an ancient, brass studded door to an inner courtyard, bowed gravely, and left them.
The inner court was smaller, but even more magnificent. Four fountains played in its corners; their basins and the twisted pillars of the surrounding arcades were made of marble; ancient lamps of beaten silver, burning perfumed oil, swung on chains between the arches. Its sole occupant was a man of vast proportions. Bearded, hook nosed, eagle eyed, his massive limbs concealed by a loose silken robe, he sat cross legged upon a great pile of carpets.
As they went forward Abu Ben Ibrim greeted them in Arabic. Lovelace responded in the same tongue, so the conversation that followed was entirely lost on Valerie and Christopher.
With a wave of his big hand, half covered with heavy rings, the Arab motioned his guests to take places on the cushions which made a semicircle in front of his divan. Clapping his hands loudly together, he summoned servants who brought in refreshments for them: fresh fruit, candied sweetmeats, sherbets and coffee.
For some moments the formalities were duly observed by a grave exchange of meaningless compliments, after which the huge Arab began to thaw. He was a jovial fellow with an enormous appetite for laughter; as easily amused as a child and delighting in a bawdy jest as the natural medium for humour in his race. Knowing that Valerie could not understand a word he said, he did not scruple to give full licence to his taste.
Lovelace, who had often dealt with Arabs, knew the type and played up to him accordingly, being well aware that half an hour or more might elapse before they could get down to business. Little by little he turned the conversation towards the local situation, inferred that he knew Ben Ibrim to be a slave trader and illicit armament dealer; was in the latter racket himself, in fact, and inquired courteously how the Arab's affairs prospered.
Ben Ibrim spread out his strong, jewel laden hands, shrugged his great shoulders, and smiled beatifically. 'Was there ever such a time in the history of mankind?' he asked happily. Allah in his wisdom had sown confusion among the ignorant that the more intelligent of his children might profit by it. Blessing upon His Holy Name. The British and Italian gunboats were so busy watching each other that they had no longer time to practice their surveillance upon the ships of honest traders that crossed the Red Sea each night. Those dogs of Abyssinians had been fooled into freeing their slaves to please the stupid League. The slaves were starving and would sell themselves again for halfpence. What easier than to transport them across the Straight of Bib el Mandeb to Arabia? In French Somaliland one had to use a certain care still, of course, but the authorities were busy with other matters. They were very strict about the illegal import of munitions, but the risks were worth running, were they not, with dynamite worth nearly its weight in gold dust. The big man chuckled throatily in his wiry black beard.
Valerie was sipping her third gilded cup of coffee, and she remarked to Lovelace that never in her life had she tasted better.
He translated what she said, and Ben Ibrim beamed upon her. `That may well be so,' he replied in Arabic. `It comes from the finest plantation in Abyssinia, and it was there that the berry was first cultivated. I will send Madame a bale of beans if she will leave me her address.'
Valerie smiled her thanks as Lovelace translated. He then turned the conversation to Zirrif. He inferred that he knew him well, spoke casually of having stayed at his house in Athens, and went on to say that Melchisedek of Alexandria had told him that he might run into Zirrif in Jibuti. He had hoped to do so. While he talked his lazy glance took in the Arab's reactions to his story with extreme carefulness.
At one point in his fabrication he feared that he had blundered. Ben Ibrim's eyes suddenly flickered; but he was smiling again so cheerfully next second that Lovelace was reassured and felt that he could only have imagined the change of expression.
`My good friend Zirrif is gone from here,' Ben Ibrim said after a moment. `He flew on to Addis Ababa only this morning.'
Lovelace heaved a mental sigh of relief. Zirrif would arrive in Addis Ababa much earlier than they had expected, but there were still fourteen days before the date fixed for the signing of the concession, and, now that they knew where he was, ample time to prepare a coup in the Abyssinian capital.
For another twenty minutes he talked and laughed with Ben Ibrim, but Valerie suddenly noticed that he had begun to scratch his left ear.