The Mingrelian Conspiracy (4 page)

‘Anyone as beautiful as your granddaughter should have no difficulty.’

‘Oh, there’s plenty of men who want to marry her. That’s not the problem. The difficulty is on her side. She won’t have them. Mind you,’ the old man conceded, ‘I can’t say I blame her. A spineless lot! No spirit! I’ve been looking at younger ones,’ he said, ‘the fifteen-year-olds, but it’s hard to tell at that age. They’re all so well behaved! Maybe one of them—’

‘For heaven’s sake, Grandfather!’ said the girl, coming back with the coffee. ‘Do we have to bore the Mamur Zapt with our intimate details?’

‘She’s quite right!’ said the old man. ‘She’s right again. You ought to have been a boy, Katarina; in fact, you ought to have been your father. A nice, gentle, loving man, but he hasn’t got your spirit!’

‘Grandfather! There you go again!’

‘She’s right! I’m getting too old, that’s the trouble. I must concentrate. Now, about these soldiers—’

‘Again, I must apologize.’

‘Well, men must be men, I suppose. If they were not, where would we be? Better that than the reverse. There are too many youngsters these days—’

‘Grandfather!’ said Katarina warningly.

‘Yes, well, as I was saying, men must be men. They were soldiers, after all. I was a soldier once—’

There was a faint sigh from Katarina.

‘Not only that,’ said Owen quickly, ‘the fighting started, or so I understand, over a question of honour. National honour.’

‘Really?’ said the old man.

‘Yes. Some of these soldiers are Welsh. That is to say, they come from the
Pays de Galles
. It’s part of Britain, a separate country, you understand, only we were taken over by England—’

‘A separate country? Taken over?’

‘A long time ago, of course. A very long time ago. Centuries.’

‘You said “we”.’

‘Well, I have to confess, I’m Welsh myself.’

‘You are? Well, that is most interesting. Most, in fact, encouraging. And these soldiers were Welsh?’

‘Half of them. Something stupid was said, whether it was by the Welsh or by the English, I don’t know, but exception was taken to the remark—they were looking for a fight, anyway, I imagine—and then the stupid idiots—’

‘Not stupid at all! Quite proper. One must defend one’s nation’s honour. And some of these were Welsh you say?’

‘Yes—’

‘There are mountains in Wales? I heard them singing of valleys and where there are valleys there must be—’

‘Hills, rather. Yes, the Welsh are very attached to their valleys.’

‘A mountaineering race?’

‘Well, no, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that.’

‘You are too modest. Mountaineers
and
fighting men!’

‘Look, Wales is not exactly like the Caucasus—’

‘Too modest, too modest! But then, you don’t have to assert yourselves like us. We are only a small country.’

‘Wales, actually, is not that large.’

‘A small country too!’ The old man almost rubbed his hands. ‘Then there are affinities between us. Language? Now what is your language?’

‘Welsh. Look—’

‘A separate language? Distinct?’

‘Yes, but—’

‘Threatened?’ the old man said significantly.

‘Well, yes, there’s a danger of it dying out—’

The old man sat back.

‘Perhaps this is the answer to our prayers,’ he said.

‘I don’t quite—’

‘So many things in common. Perhaps we could stretch a point: Mingrelians and neighbouring countries.’

‘Neighbouring? They’re about a million miles apart.’

‘I was talking spiritually. Neighbouring in spirit. It’s reasonable. Sometimes we used to go out and capture a woman from a neighbouring tribe and there was never any difficulty about that. She soon became assimilated. Of course, that was a man taking a woman. It would be different if it was a woman taking a man. Of course, times are different now. More liberated. I see no reason why a woman shouldn’t take a husband from a neighbouring tribe, neighbouring spiritually, I mean—’

‘Grandfather!’ said Katarina, scandalized. She took him by the arm. ‘Come on!’ she said. ‘It’s time you went up for your nap!’

‘Yes, yes.’ He stood up shakily. Owen realized that he was far older than he appeared. ‘I accept your apology,’ he said suddenly.

‘Thank you. I can only repeat—’

‘But I’m not withdrawing the complaint.’

‘Not withdrawing the complaint? But—’

‘We have to stand up for ourselves. Even against our friends. We must not back down.’

‘But surely an apology—’

‘No. I feel half inclined, I must say, to accept it from the Welsh but not from the English, but that would hardly be fair. Anyway, what does it matter? What is a complaint? In Egypt?’

‘Well, we don’t like to leave complaints unanswered—’

‘Think nothing of it. Now that you have apologized, we shall not take military action.’

‘Thank you. But couldn’t you withdraw your complaint as well? The fact is, well, there was another complaint too, and it’s a bit awkward—’

‘Another complaint?’

‘Yes, from the Russian Chargé, actually, and we’re a bit afraid there might be international—’

‘Russian? Did you say Russian? The soldiers insulted him as well?’

‘Well, yes, I’m afraid so—’

‘Brave men! Magnificent men! There, what did I tell you?’ he said fiercely, snatching his arm from Katarina’s hold. ‘Men of spirit! God, that’s the way to treat the Russians! Our allies! Didn’t I tell you they were our natural allies? God, if only I was young again—’

Katarina dragged him towards the door.

‘Complaint?’ he shouted over his shoulder. ‘No complaint at all. Far from it! The Russians? Oh, no complaint at all!’

It’s an affront!’ said the Chargé.

‘Which we deeply regret,’ said Paul, ‘and shall do something about.’

‘Have already done something about,’ supplemented Owen. Paul had asked for support in his grovel and Owen had agreed to accompany him.

‘I am glad to hear it,’ said the Chargé. ‘The men have been flogged?’

‘Well, not exactly—’

‘Yet,’ said Owen quickly. ‘There are a few processes to go through first.’

‘A military court, you mean? Well, there is something to be said for letting criminals experience the full majesty of the law. It inculcates respect for authority.’

‘Quite so.’

‘All the same,’ said the Chargé, ‘the sooner they are flogged, the better. It’s like a dog. The longer the gap between crime and punishment the harder it is for the creature to understand. Soldiers are animals and should be treated as such.’

‘Well, yes, but—’

‘Believe me. I was in the Army myself, the Russian Army, that is. I know. They’re all peasants, you see, and as stupid as oxes. The only way you can drive anything into their thick heads is with the whip. Even then it’s difficult. Being peasants, they’re used to it. They don’t feel it as we would. It’s got to follow sharply after the event. And no half measures, either! How many lashes?’

‘How many—?’

‘I’d advise at least sixty. Some say forty, but I think you’ve got to allow for the sun—’

‘The
sun
?’

‘Hardens the skin. They don’t feel it as much. No, in my view sixty should be standard. Of course, in a case as serious as this the standard is hardly good enough. No, on second thoughts it should be more. Eighty, perhaps. A hundred for the ringleaders.’

‘We’ll bear your advice in mind.’

‘Do. Do. Glad to share my experience with you. You’ll let them drink, of course?’

‘Well, I rather think they’ve been doing too much of that already—’

‘No, no. Just before they’re flogged. A glass or two of vodka. It makes it easier for them. I used to give them a bottle. I’m a humane man, you know.’

‘Well, of course, each country has its own practices—’

‘It doesn’t have to be vodka. Whisky would do. Or rum. You used to use rum, I believe, in the British Navy?’

‘I believe so, yes. A while ago.’

‘It’s better if they’re drunk. Mind you, some would say they’re drunk all the time.’

‘Yes, our soldiers have much in common.’

‘Discipline. That’s what they need.’

‘They certainly do. And I’m sorry you should have suffered because of a lack of it on the part of our soldiers.’

‘It’s nothing, it’s nothing. If it were just myself I would say no more. But, of course, an affront to my country—well, I am bound to resist that. Especially with the Grand Duke’s visit so imminent.’

‘Grand Duke?’ said Owen.

‘Yes. Only two and a half weeks away. I tick off each day on my calendar. Between you and me, it will be a great relief when it’s all over. If anything goes wrong, it’ll be my head on the block. Not literally, of course. We’re not a barbarous people.’

‘I must apologize once again,’ said Paul, beginning to rise from his chair.

‘Say no more about it. A mere bagatelle. A few drunken muzhiks, that’s all it was. Of course, I cannot formally withdraw my complaint.’

‘Oh, dear,’ said Paul, sitting down again. ‘I was hoping—’

‘If it was me, that would be the end of it. But, of course, when it’s my country—’

‘No insult was
intended
, Chargé!’

‘Of course not. They were too drunk to know what they were doing. But one was
received
, and since it was in public, and in view of the forthcoming visit—’

‘But, Chargé, precisely because of the forthcoming visit, mightn’t we hush things up? We don’t want a diplomatic incident, do we?’

‘
We
don’t,’ said the Chargé, ‘but back at home
they
might.’

‘I must confess this is a blow, Chargé. I had hoped for a quiet run-up to the Grand Duke’s visit.’

‘Me too,’ said the Chargé.

‘You don’t think you could postpone your complaint? Say, till after the visit was over?’

‘It’s already with the Parquet. It wouldn’t look good if I was to withdraw it and then put it back in.’

‘True, true. All the same—the fact is, Chargé, this stupid incident comes at a most awkward time.’

‘I can see that. Any other time, the British wouldn’t pay any attention.’

‘Well, that’s exactly it. Go on, Chargé, be a decent chap and I will send you round a bottle of Château d’Yquem.’

‘Well—’ said the Chargé, weakening.

‘You’re the only one who’s left now.’

‘There were others? Other countries are involved?’

‘No, no! It’s just that the Mingrelian community—’

‘Mingrelian!’ The Chargé shot upright. ‘They were behind it?’

‘No, no! They were on the receiving end, actually—’

‘Assaulted?’

‘I’m afraid so.’

The Chargé leaped up from his chair and threw his arms around Paul.

‘The Mingrelians? Assaulted? But this is excellent news, excellent!’ He folded Owen, too, in a deep embrace. ‘My government will be delighted! Oh, that’s the way to do it! First we give it them back at home, now you give it them here! Excellent!’

He pressed the bell on his desk.

‘Vodka!’ he shouted. ‘Vodka, to celebrate! A toast! Undying friendship between our countries!’ He pressed Paul emotionally to him once again. ‘That is the way allies should behave! I will let my people know at once. The Mingrelians! Thrashed! And that’s even before Duke Nicholas gets here—’ He stopped suddenly.

‘Why not?’ he said. ‘Why not? I’ll put it to him. Those fine, brave men! A medal! For service to the Tsar! I’ll do it! You can rely on me!’

‘And the complaint? You withdraw the complaint?’

‘Complaint?’ said the Chargé. ‘What complaint? I have no complaint. Oh, no! Far from it!’

‘The Grand Duke’s visit?’ said Owen.

‘I was going to tell you about it. It’s just that I didn’t want to bother you when your mind was on more important things, like the cafés. The Khedive has invited him. In about three weeks’ time.’

‘A State Visit?’

‘Semi-State. Duke Nicholas is only the heir. He’s supposed to be on an informal tour of the Mediterranean. Well, actually, he’s so unpopular at home that the Tsar wanted to get him out of the country before someone threw a bomb at him.’

‘And the Khedive invited him
here
?’

‘That’s right. You, of course, will be responsible for security.’

‘There’s going to be a ball,’ said Zeinab.

‘It’s not been decided yet.’

‘And that, of course,’ said Zeinab, disregarding him, ‘creates a major problem: what am I going to wear?’

‘It’s not been decided yet. The meeting’s not till tomorrow. Look, I know. I’m going to it.’

‘And then there will be the opera as well. I’ll need two dresses. The trouble is, there isn’t a decent dress in Cairo. Anton says he might be getting some in, but everyone will be fighting for them and, besides, they’ll all have seen them. So I thought I would cable Paris direct. Now here’s the problem: I don’t want to do it through Posts and Telegraphs in the ordinary way, or else people will get to know about it. So—look, are you listening, this is important—can you send a cable for me? Using the diplomatic channel?’

‘No. Absolutely not.’

‘I’ll bet the Consul-General’s wife is.’

‘What she does is her own business.’

‘You don’t love me,’ said Zeinab.

‘Of course I love you. Now—’

‘You don’t love me. Not in the way he loves her.’

‘I should bloody hope not,’ said Owen, an image of the Consul-General and his stately lady coming vividly before his mind.

‘I know what it is. You don’t want me to go. You are ashamed of me. There will be all those lords and ladies, those petty princelings from petty little countries, Wales, I wouldn’t be surprised, and you say: what is an Egyptian woman doing among that lot? Well, let me tell you, the daughter of a Pasha,
especially
the illegitimate daughter of a Pasha, has got more love and life and passion in her little finger than any of them have in their whole body!’

‘I think that’s more than likely,’ said Owen.

‘Wasted!’ said Zeinab dramatically. ‘On you!’

‘Not wasted; I greatly enjoy it.’

‘In private, yes, but not in public.’

‘Well, what the hell do you want us to do? Make love in the middle of Abdin Square?’

‘Take me to the ball.’

‘I
am
taking you to the ball. If there is one.’

‘You know I can’t come if I’m not properly dressed.’

‘You
will
be properly dressed. You’ve got lots of dresses. They’re all there on the rack. Look, bloody hundreds of them—’

‘You want to see me in rags!’

‘Rags! This one cost more than a year’s pay! You told me. Afterwards.’

‘I passed the bill to my father. He will not want to see me dressed like some parvenue. He has pride. We are like that in Egypt. Proud people. We know what is fitting. Unlike the boring, bourgeois British.’

‘Look, I am
not
going to use the Diplomatic Postbag just to send a cable to your couturier.’

‘Just?’ said Zeinab.

Even the flies in the committee room seemed stupefied by the heat. This was unusual, thought Owen, since flies were normally the most active part of the population. Perhaps it was not the heat that was getting to them but committee life. The shutters of the committee room were kept closed in a vain attempt to keep the temperature down and perhaps the flies could never get out. They spent their lives in eternal committee. My God, thought Owen; what a life! For a second or two he felt quite indignant on their behalf but then the heat had its effect on him, too, and he settled back gloomily in his chair.

‘The itinerary first,’ said Paul. ‘Duke Nicholas will transfer to the Khedivial Yacht at Alexandria, pass through the Canal to Suez and then take the overland train to Cairo. He will spend three days in Cairo as the guest of His Royal Highness, the Khedive, and then go upriver to Luxor to view the antiquities. He will then return to Cairo and spend two days at the Palace recovering from the rigours of his journey. Then he will travel by train to Alexandria, spend a day there and depart by boat on the Thursday evening. The whole visit will last twelve days, including the two to be spent on the Royal Yacht.’

‘That bit should be all right from the point of view of security,’ observed the major.

‘He’ll be spending a good time on the water, what with the river trip,’ said McPhee.

‘I’ll turn to security later,’ said Paul. ‘The first question, though, is what we’re going to do with him while he’s here. The Khedive would like to reproduce as far as possible the visit of Duke Nicholas’s uncle, the Crown Prince, when he came here to open the Suez Canal.’

‘Out of the question!’ said Finance Department immediately. ‘Cost too much!’

‘ “As far as possible”,’ said Paul. ‘Those are the keywords, I think. Surely we can accede to His Royal Highness’s wishes to that extent? Of course, we may not be able to go as far as he would like—’

‘As long as we bear in mind budgetary constraints,’ said Finance Department.

‘Just so. Now, Mr. Abd-es-Salem is here representing the Court, and I wonder if he could tell us what His Royal Highness has in mind with respect to the programme?’

‘Well, last time the Khedive commissioned an opera—’

‘No!’ said Finance Department quickly.

‘—and built the new Opera House.’

‘My God!’ said Finance Department.

‘After consideration, the Khedive would not, perhaps, wish to go so far this time. But he does feel that, in view of its centrality on the previous visit, opera should have at least some part in the programme—’

‘Does he now?’ said Paul, sitting up.

‘Out of the question!’ said Finance Department. ‘Too costly!’

‘Oh, come!’

‘That was what bankrupted Egypt in the first place,’ said Finance Department.

‘What better thing to be bankrupted by?’ murmured Paul.

‘Actually, I must support the Khedive,’ said Owen, who thought there was a chance of getting a performance of
Aida
out of this. ‘I feel that since His Royal Highness has expressed the wish to reproduce as closely as possible the original arrangements, we ought to do the best we can to oblige him.’

Mr. Abd-es-Salem flashed him a grateful glance.

‘If you’re thinking of
Aida,’
said Finance Department smugly, ‘you can think again.
Aida
wasn’t actually performed on the original visit. It was commissioned for the opening of the Canal but wasn’t ready on time. It was performed some time after.’

‘All the more reason for the Grand Duke to be able to see it now,’ suggested Paul.

‘Aida
is completely out of the question
,’ said Finance Department with emphasis. ‘I have this straight from the Treasury in London.’

‘They actually specified there was to be no
Aida
?’

‘Certainly. Opera is something they really know about in the Treasury.’

‘We could dispense with the animals,’ said Paul temptingly.

‘Animals?’ said the major.

‘Live animals were a feature of the original production,’ said Finance Department. ‘Lots of them! Actually, it wouldn’t be a good idea,’ he said to Paul. ‘Suppose the Grand Duke got eaten?’

‘We could keep him away from them. Owen could see to that—’

‘No animals,’ said Finance Department firmly. ‘And no
Aida
, either. Of course, there is no reason why you shouldn’t choose another opera. The Treasury is not opposed to opera in principle. Far from it.’

‘Well, that
is
a helpful suggestion,’ said Paul. ‘Now—’

The Army had been fidgeting for some time.

‘Could we get on to the real business?’

Paul raised his eyebrows.

‘I thought that was the real business,’ he said.

‘What about security?’

‘We’ve got to agree on the programme first, haven’t we? Right, let’s move on. There will be a Grand Ball, of course…’

‘There could be difficulties,’ said Owen.