ome money, too. We may need to hire a
boat or horses; one can never tell."

Balsamides stood a moment and looked at me, apparently well satisfied
with my appearance. Then he opened the window to see whether the
carriage was below, but it had not yet come.

"While we are waiting, I will explain our plan of action," he said, as
he opened his writing-desk and took a small roll of gold pieces and a
handful of silver. "We shall be driven to the door of the house, and
when we knock, Selim or some other Lala, if there are others, will open
the door. He will see you and recognize your uniform, as well as the
livery of the palace carriage. He will salute us, and you must of course
return the salutation. I will then explain that I am the court
physician, and that his majesty, having just heard of the Khanum
Effendi's illness, has sent me down to attend her. Selim will salute us
again, and show us into the house. You will be left in the _salamlek_,
the lower hall, and I shall be shown into the harem, after a few minutes
have elapsed to give time for preparation. Then you will have to wait,
but you will probably not be disturbed, unless a slave brings you
coffee and cigarettes. Selim will probably remain in the harem all the
time I am there. But if you hear anything like a scuffle, you must come
when you recognize my voice. This will not occur unless Selim hears
something which frightens him, and tries to get away. Of course you are
supposed to be present for my protection, and you must affect a certain
deference towards me."

"I will be humility itself," I answered.

"No, not too much humility. A mere show of respect for my position will
do. We adjutants about the palace are not much given to self-abasement
of any sort. There is one catastrophe which may occur. If the old woman
is really dying, as they say she is, she may die while we are there. We
must then take possession of the person of Selim and carry him off.
There will not be much trouble about that. The house is in a lonely
place, and the driver of the carriage knows his orders. He will obey
instantly, no matter what I tell him to do."

"And if we should, by any chance, find Alexander in the house," I asked,
"shall we be able to get him out without trouble?"

"Not without trouble," answered Gregorios, with a grim smile. "But we
will not stick at trifles so long as we have the imperial Irade with us.
I hear the carriage. Let us be off."

So we left the house on our