Jimgrim - The Spy Thrillers Series. Talbot Mundy

      “I’m here to look into the prospects for a school,” I said.

      “Yes, yes. Very estimable. You shall have my support.” He paused for me to fawn on him, and my neglect to do it spurred him to further self-revelation.

      “You must look to me for support if you hope for success. There is no cohesion here without me. I am the only man in El-Kerak to whom they all listen, and even I have difficulty in uniting them at times. But a school is a good idea, and under my auspices you will succeed.”

      For the moment I thought he suspected me of wanting to teach school myself. I hastened to correct the impression:

      “All I promise to do is to tell people in the States who might be interested.”

      “Exactly.” He had been coming at this point all along in his own way. “So there is no hurry. It makes no difference that you must stay in El-Kerak a little longer than you intended. You shall be presented to the council of notables under my auspices. In my judgment it is important that you remain here for some little time.”

      I suppose the men who can analyze their thoughts, and separate the wise impulses from the rash ones, are the people whom the world calls men of destiny and whom history later assigns to its halls of fame. The rest of us simply act from pique, prejudice, passion or whatever other emotion is in charge. I know I did. It was resentment. It was so immensely disagreeable to be patronized by this puffy-eyed sensualist that I could not resist the impulse to argue with him.

      “I don’t see the force of that,” said I. “My plans are made to return to Jerusalem tomorrow.”

      I could not have done better as it happened. I suppose there is some theory that has been written down in books to explain how these things work, at any rate to the satisfaction of the fellow who wrote the book. But Grim, referring to it afterward, called it naked luck. I would rather agree with Grim than argue with any inky theorist on earth, having seen too many theories upset. Luck looks to me like a sweeter lady, and more worshipful than any of the goddesses they rename nowadays and then dissect in clinics. At any rate, by naked luck I prodded Abdul Ali where he kept his supply of mistakes. Instead of calling my bluff, as he doubtless should have done, he set out to win me over to his point of view. Whichever way you analyze it in the light of subsequent events, the only possible conclusion is that it was my turn to be lucky and Abdul Ali’s to make a fool of himself. Nobody could have made a fool of him better than he did.

      “I must dissuade you,” he said, trying to hide wilfulness under an unpleasant smile. “I will offer inducements.”

      “They’ll have to be heavy,” I said, “to weigh against what I have in mind.”

      He had kept ben Nazir and me standing all this time. Now he offered me one of the chairs, took the other himself, and motioned ben Nazir to a cushion near the window. A servant brought in the inevitable coffee and cigarettes. Then he laid a hand on my knee for special emphasis—a fat, pale, unprincipled hand, with that great sapphire gleaming on the middle finger.

      “It happens that this idea of a school comes just at the right moment. I have been searching my mind for just some such idea to lay before the notables. As we are talking a language that none else here understands, I can safely take you into confidence. A raid is being planned into British territory.”

      He paused to let that sink in, and tapped my knee with his disgusting fingers until I could have struck him from irritation.

      “There is, however, an element of disagreement. There is uncertainty as to the outcome, in the minds of some of the chiefs who live nearest to the border. The feeling among them is that perhaps I am urging them on in order to serve my own ambition at their expense. They appreciate the opportunity to loot; but they say that the British will hit back afterwards, and they, being nearest to the border, will suffer most; whereas I stand to gain all and to lose nothing. Very absurd, of course, but that is their argument.”

      “Surely,” I said, “you don’t expect me to take my coat off and preach a jihad against the British?”

      “Im Gotteswillen! No, no, no! This is my meaning: if I can go before them with the offer of a school for El-Kerak, which the very worst scoundrel among them desires with all his ignorant heart; and if I can produce a distinguished gentleman from America, present among them on my invitation for the sole purpose of making the arrangements for such a school, that will convince them that I have their interests really at heart. Do you see?”

      Again the irritating fingers drumming on my knee. I did not answer for fear of betraying ill-temper.

      “I am a statesman, sir. I understand the arguments with which whole nations may deceive themselves. I have made it my profession to detect the trends of thought and the tides of unrest. Psychological moments are for me a fascinating study. I can recognize them.”

      He laid the fat hand on my shoulder for a change, and tried to look into my eyes; but I was watching the edge of a curtain at the far end of the room.

      “Now, to you, an American, our local dispute means nothing. This raid is no affair of yours. You wash your hands of it. You, an altruist, are interested only in a school. I offer you opportunity, building, subsidy, guarantees. You reciprocate by giving me a talking point. I shall make use of the opportunity. That is settled. And, let me see, I promised you inducements, didn’t I?”

      He looked, at me and I looked at him. He waited for a hint of some sort, but I made no move to help him out.

      “What shall we say?”

      I was as interested in the result of his appraisal as he was in making it. Whether complimentary or not, another’s calculated judgment of your character is a fascinating thing to wait for.

      “I think you will be getting full value. I shall introduce you to all the notables,” he said at last. “To a man of your temperament it will be a privilege to attend the council, and to know in advance all that is going to happen. There will be no objection to that, because it is already decided you will remain in El-Kerak until after the—er—raid. The notables will understand from me that your mouth is sealed until after the event. You shall be let into our secrets. There—is that not equitable?”

      It was shrewd. I did not believe for a minute that he would let me into all their secrets, but he could not have imagined a greater temptation for me. Since I would not have taken his word that black was not white, I did not hesitate to pretend to agree to his terms.

      “I must have an interpreter,” I said. “Otherwise I shall understand very little.”

      “I will supply you an interpreter—a good one.”

      “No, thank you. Any man of yours might only tell me what he thought correct for me to hear. If I’m to get a price for my services, I want the full price. I want to hear everything. I must be allowed to bring my own interpreter.”

      “Who would he be?”

      “I don’t know yet.”

      “That man Ahmed, for instance? I have been told he is one of your party. Ahmed would do very well.”

      “No, not Ahmed.”

      “Who then?”

      “I will find a man.”

      He hesitated. If ever a man was reviewing all the possible contingencies, murder of me included, behind a mask of superficial courtesy, that man was he.

      “He should be a man acceptable to the notables,” he said at last. “I ought to know his name in advance.”

      “I must have unfettered choice, or I won’t attend the mejlis^[7].”

      “Oh, very well. Only the interpreter, too, will have to remain afterward in El-Kerak.”

      I looked at that curtain again, for it was moving in a way that no draft from the open window could account for. But at last the movement was explained. Before Abdul Ali could speak again a man stepped out from behind it, crossed the room, and went out through the door,