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Updated: May 4, 2025
"Your costume," remarked Balsamides quietly, "smacks too much of the classic for the Grande Rue de Pera. I will wait while you dress." "Does my mother know?" asked Patoff. "No," replied Balsamides. "Your brother had not been five minutes in my house when I came here." Then he told Paul briefly how we had found Alexander.
"To my house in Pera!" cried Balsamides to the patient coachman. "Pek tchabuk! As fast as you can drive!" "Evvét Effendim," replied the old soldier, and in another moment we were tearing along the road at breakneck speed. Hitherto Alexander Patoff had been too much surprised and overcome by his emotions to speak connectedly or to ask us any questions.
"Poor devil!" he said, in a low voice. "We were just in time. He could not have lasted much longer." We reached the outskirts of Pera, and Alexander hastily withdrew his head and sank back in the corner, as though afraid of being seen. He had the startled look of a man who fears pursuit. At last we rattled down the Grande Rue, and stopped before the door of Balsamides' house.
What am I to call you, if I have to speak to you?" "Anything," said Balsamides. "She does not know the name of the court physician, I suppose. However, you had better call me by his name. She might know, after all. Call me Kalopithaki Bey. You are Mehemet Bey. That is simple enough.
But here all trace ceased again, and Balsamides was almost ready to give up the search, when an incident occurred which renewed our energy and hope, and which had the effect of rousing Paul to the greatest excitement.
But Balsamides grew merry as we proceeded. His spirits rose at the mere thought of a fight, until I almost fancied that he would provoke an unnecessary struggle rather than forego the pleasure of dealing a few blows. It was a new phase of his character, and I watched him, or rather listened to him, with interest. "This is positively delightful," he said in a cheerful voice. "What?"
I showed no further curiosity, and at the appointed time I left the house to go and dine with the Carvels. "Say nothing to Patoff," said Balsamides, as I went out. I found the Carvels assembled in their sitting-room, and we went to dinner. I could not help looking from time to time at Paul's mother, who surprised me by her fluent conversation and perfect self-possession.
"We will torture him," said Balsamides, coolly. I confess that I was rather startled by the calm way in which he made the proposition. I inwardly determined that we should do nothing of the kind. "What is the other alternative?" I inquired, without showing any surprise.
Balsamides assumed a suave manner, and informed him that he was sent by his Majesty to afford relief, if possible, to Laleli Khanum Effendi. His Majesty, said Gregorios, was deeply grieved at hearing of the Khanum's illness, and desired that every means should be employed to alleviate her sufferings.
"Was it that adorable red mask, who would not leave Balsamides even for a moment? Bah! You must think me very foolish. Come along and have some supper before we go home. I have no partner, and have had nothing to eat and very little to drink."
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