old how he and the Bekji had robbed the body of
Alexander Patoff, and thrown it into the Bosphorus for fear of being
suspected. But the whole story seemed improbable, and I had a strong
impression that Selim was lying. Perhaps nothing but the fear of death
could have made him confess, after all, and Balsamides had a way of
making death seem very real and near.

"I will tell you this, Selim," said Gregorios. "If you will give me
Alexander Patoff Effendi to-night, alive, well, and uninjured in any
way, you shall go free, and I will engage that you shall not be hurt.
You evidently wished to keep the Khanum's secret. The Khanum is dead,
and her secrets are the Padishah's, like everything else she possessed.
You are bound to deliver those secrets to my keeping. Therefore tell us
shortly where the Russian is, that we may liberate him and take him home
at once."

"He is alive and well. That is to say, he has been well treated,"
answered Selim. "If you can take him, you may take him to-night, for all
I care. But you must swear that you will then protect me."

"Filthy liquor in a dirty bottle!" exclaimed Balsamides angrily. "Will
you make conditions with me, you soul of a dog in a snake's body?"

"Very well," returned the Lala cunningly. "But if you should kill me by
mistake before I have taken you to him, you will never find him."

"I have told you that you shall not be hurt, if you will give him up.
That is enough. My word is good, and I will keep it. Speak; you are
safe."

"In the first place, we must go back to Yeni Koej. You might have saved
yourself the trouble of coming up here on such a night as this."

"I want no comments on my doings. Tell me where the man is."

"I will take you to him," said the Lala.

"Well, then, get up and come back to the carriage," said Balsamides,
seeing it was useless to bandy words with the fellow. Moreover, it was
bitterly cold in the forest, and the idea of being once more in the
comfortable carriage was attractive. Again we took Selim between us, and
rapidly descended the stony path. In a few moments we were driving
swiftly away from the arches of the aqueduct in the direction whence we
had come.

Before we had reached the door of Laleli's house, Selim asked Balsamides
to stop the carriage. We got out, and he took us up a narrow and filthy
lane between two high walls. The feeble light of the moon did not
penetrate the blackness, and we stumbled along in the mud as best we
could.