Yes, Colonel Hakim said, that is not bad at all as a cover story. He began to pant again and took another lozenge. I only mentioned those names to show you that General Abdul is now a little senile. One doesnt finance an operation in Turkey with foreign money of that kind. A wise woman like yourself must have realized that if his operation had any chance of success, he could have found local support. He would not have had to offer a Chicago meat packer twenty-five per-cent interest and a share of the profits.
Mr. Visconti would certainly have seen through that, my aunt said.
But now you are a lady living alone. You havent the benefit of Viscontis advice. You might be tempted a little by the quick profits
Why? I have no children to leave them to, Colonel.
Or perhaps by the sense of adventure.
At my age! My aunt beamed with pleasure.
There was a knock on the door and a policeman entered. He spoke to the colonel and the colonel translated for our benefit. Nothing, he said, has been found in Mr. Pullings baggage, but if you wouldnt mind My man is very careful, he will wear clean gloves, and I assure you he will leave not the smallest wrinkle Would you mind if I put on the electric light while he works?
I would mind a great deal[164], my aunt said. I left my dark glasses on the train. Unless you wish to give me a splitting headache
Of course not, Miss Bertram. He will do without[165]. You will forgive us if the search takes a little longer.
The policeman first went through my aunts handbag and handed certain papers to Colonel Hakim. Forty pounds in travellers cheques, he noted.
I have cashed ten, my aunt said.
I see from your air ticket you plan to leave tomorrow I mean today. A very short visit. Why did you come by train, Miss Bertram?
I wanted to see my stepson in Milan.
The colonel gave her a quizzical look. May one ask? According to your passport you are unmarried.
Mr. Viscontis son.
Ah, always that Mr. Visconti.
The policeman was busy now with my aunts suitcase. He looked in the cardboard box which had contained the candle, shook it and smelt it.
That is the box for my candle, my aunt said. As I told you, I think, they make these candles in Venice. One candle does for a whole journey I believe it is guaranteed for twenty-four hours continuously. Perhaps forty-eight.
You are burning a real work of art, the colonel said.
Henry, hold the candle for the policeman to see better.
Again I was astonished by the weight of the candle when I lifted it.
Dont bother, Mr. Pulling, he has finished.
I was glad to put it down again.
Well, Colonel Hakim said with a smile, we have found nothing compromising in your luggage. The policeman was repacking the case. Now just as a formality we must go through the room. And the bed, Miss Bertram, if you will consent to sit in a chair.
He took part in this search himself, limping from one piece of furniture to another, sometimes feeling with his stick, under the bed, and at the back of a drawer. And now Mr. Pullings pockets, he said. I emptied them rather angrily on the dressing-table. He looked carefully through my notebook and drew out a cutting from the Daily Telegraph. He read it aloud with a puzzled frown: Those that took my fancy were the ruby-red Maitre Roger, light-red, white-tipped Cheerio, deep crimson Arabian Night and Black Flash, and scarlet Bacchus
Please explain, Mr. Pulling.
It is self-explanatory[166], I said stiflfy.
Then you must forgive my ignorance.
The report of a dahlia show. In Chelsea. I am very interested in dahlias.
Flowers?
Of course they are flowers.
The names sounded so oddly like those of horses. I was puzzled by the deep crimson. He put the cutting down and limped to my aunts side. I will say good night now, Miss Bertram. You have made my duty tonight a most agreeable one. You cannot think how bored I get with exhibitions of injured innocence. I will send a police car to take you to your plane tomorrow.
Please dont bother. We can take a taxi.
We should be sorry to see you miss your plane.
I think perhaps I ought to stop over one more day and see poor General Abdul.
I am afraid he is not allowed visitors. What is this book you are reading? What a very ugly fellow with a red fez. Has he stabbed the girl?
No. He is the policeman. He is called Colonel Hakim, my aunt said with a look of satisfaction.
After the door had closed I turned with some anger on my aunt. Aunt Augusta, I said, what did all that mean?
Some little political trouble, I would imagine. Politics in Turkey are taken more seriously than they are at home. It was only quite recently that they executed a Prime Minister. We dream of it, but they act. I hadnt realized, I admit, what General Abdul was up to. Foolish of him at his age. He must be eighty if a day, but I believe in Turkey there are more centenarians than in any other European country. Yet I doubt whether poor Abdul is likely to make his century[167].
Do you realize that theyre deporting us? I think we should call the British Embassy.
You exaggerate, dear. They are just lending us a police car.