I think thats 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 cant come if Im not properly dressed.
You will be properly dressed. Youve got lots of dresses. Theyre all there on the rack. Look, bloody hundreds of them-
You want to see me in rags!
Rags! This one cost more than a years 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.
Hell be spending a good time on the water, what with the river trip, said McPhee.
Ill turn to security later, said Paul. The first question, though, is what were going to do with him while hes here. The Khedive would like to reproduce as far as possible the visit of Duke Nicholass 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 Highnesss 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 youre thinking of Aida, said Finance Department smugly, you can think again. Aida wasnt actually performed on the original visit. It was commissioned for the opening of the Canal but wasnt 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 wouldnt 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 shouldnt 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?
Weve got to agree on the programme first, havent we? Right, lets move on. There will be a Grand Ball, of course
What about security?
Weve got to agree on the programme first, havent we? Right, lets move on. There will be a Grand Ball, of course
There could be difficulties, said Owen.
What difficulties?
Well, dresses. That kind of thing.
Paul glanced at his notes.
No, this has already been decided. The Consul-Generals wife-
A March Past? suggested the Army, some time later. March Past?
The Khedive reviewing his troops.
There may be international observers, said Paul. I dont think we should make our military presence too obvious. We could have a jolly procession, I suppose.
The Khedive would like that, said Mr. Abd-es-Salem. In fact, he would wish to take part in it himself. He could ride at the head with the Grand Duke in an open landau.
Is that a good idea? asked Owen.
Why not? said Mr. Abd-es-Salem, surprised.
Because it would make it easy for someone to take a pot shot at him.
The Khedive feels safe with his people, said Mr. Abd-es-Salem reprovingly.
I was thinking of the Grand Duke, said Owen hastily and untruly.
Surely there is no risk of that?
Cairo is a city of many nationalities. And not all of them are sympathetic to Russia.
Even so-
The Balkan countries, for instance.
Ah, yes, said Mr. Abd-es-Salem thoughtfully. The Balkans!
The Mingrelians! added Owen, for the benefit of the Army.
My God, yes! said the major. The Mingrelians!
Round them up, said Shearer. Round them all up!
All of them? said Owen. There are over twenty thousand people from various Balkan countries in Cairo alone. The place is like a miniature Balkans. Its a potential powder keg, I can tell you. I think this visit is crazy. Why dont we call the whole thing off?
Call it off? said Mr. Abd-es-Salem, aghast. His Royal Highness has set his heart on it!
Im afraid weve gone too far down the road to call it off now, said Paul. Although I agree with you about the potential threat.
Threat? said Mr. Abd-es-Salem, with considerable asperity. Are you saying that the British can no longer maintain order? Even with an Army?
Certainly not! said the major indignantly.
We can handle it, said Captain Shearer.
Can you? said Owen quickly. Well, theres a lot to be said for-
No chance! said Paul firmly. It has already been decided that the Mamur Zapt has overall responsibility for the security arrangements. But a good try! he added, turning to Owen.
You again? said the cafe owner. He was sitting with his legs heavily bandaged and propped across a chair in front of him.
I like coffee, said Owen.
You dont think you could enjoy it somewhere else?
I especially like it here.
You get in the way, you know.
You mean, the men wont come while Im here? Isnt that a good thing?
I dont know. Theyll come again when youre not here.
I could leave someone with you.
Theyre big blokes.
This is a big bloke.
Hanging around all day drinking coffee?
He could work for you. In fact, it would be better if he did. You could say he had come up from the country.
Why dont you just go away? said the cafe owner.
Im like the other lot. Im never going to go away.
The cafe owner cursed softly.
You get me down, he said. You really do.
Im your only way out, said Owen. Youll be glad of me. Later.
A lot later, said the cafe owner. When Im in heaven.
Even before. Its just the next bit thats hard.
Why pick the hard way?
Because if you pick the other way, it never ends. You dont just pay once. You go on paying. You pay all the time. They come more often. And after a while they ask for more. And then more. And then more still. In the end youre working only for them. All youve built up is theirs. Look, I know what it takes to build up a place like this, what it costs you. It costs you years of your life and youve only got one life. Going to give it all away, now, are you?
Im not giving anything away, said the cafe owner. But Im still thinking.
Think on. Take the long view. Youve had to take the long view, havent you, all your life? Otherwise youd never have got where you are. Think long now. My way is hard at first but then theres an end to it. The other way is easy today and hard tomorrow. And tomorrow goes on for a long time.
The only thing is, said the cafe owner, that I like the idea of there being tomorrows.
The man I put in is always there. He sleeps under the table. He doesnt go home at night. Owen had a sudden pang of conscience. Selim wouldnt care for this bit. He never leaves you, he said, nevertheless, determinedly.
And he works?
A big, strong man.
Youre not doing this for my sake, said the cafe owner.
Of course not. There are other cafes.
Why dont you ask them?
Im asking you. I need someone like you.
Stubborn?
Greedy, said Owen. Greedy to cling on to his own.
The cafe owner laughed.
Well, youve got the right man, he said. I dont believe in giving money away.