按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
I stumbled around the car and tried to shoo the onlookers away。 They ignored me。 Then I shrugged。 Let the animals gratify their voyeur tendencies： it had been great。
Ters appeared from somewhere and gave vent to his evil laugh。
Not even that fazed me。
Ters saw that a tire was flat； got out a pressure can with goo and inflated it。
He got in the car； gave another evil laugh and drove off。
In the back window； lit by moonlight； I could see the woman staring back at me。 She had a very beseeching look。
Ah； I thought triumphantly； there goes a VERY satisfied female！
Despite all the disturbance； it had been quite a night！
Chapter 8
The very next night was quite similar to the first。 The half…hour delay was the same。 This girl looked a little plumper and a little older。 She seemed； however； strangely tired and wan when I arrived。
The caravan traffic was even more intense and its interest in the car was just as great； but I did not let little things bother me。 I am the sort of man who stays right on course； regardless of minor disturbances； and gets the job done。
The only major difference between the first and second nights was that a donkey； since the window had stuck open； reached right in and nipped me。 I got rid of him with a punch in the nose。
But Ters had at last driven the second woman away with her staring out the rear window； her eyes and gestures pleading。 I felt I was really making a hit！
The third night had some variation。 Some camel drivers had built a campfire near the car and were sitting around it。 The red eagles and the gold letters of my name were really prominent in the leaping firelight。
Ahmed came to me where I eagerly waited； just outside the gate before he blew his horn。
〃I've got to get rid of them first；〃 he told me。 〃Give me a few lira and go back inside the villa pound： these rendezvous of yours are secret and mustn't be seen。
I did as he told me。 An awful lot of time passed： another half hour。 Eventually the horn was sounded。 I rushed out again。
The fire that had been flaming there was almost out： just a few sparks remained。
〃What was the delay？〃 I demanded。 〃Those camel drivers are long gone！〃
〃It's the woman；〃 Ahmed said。 〃She's a very virtuous girl； this one。 Terrified of her reputation。 When we arrived and she spotted the camel drivers and fire； she fainted。 It took us until just now to bring her to！〃
I was eager to get down to business and leaped into the car。 But they hadn't done a very good job in bringing her around。 She still seemed to be unconscious。
I yanked the veil off her face。 This third one had a tawny plexion。 She seemed to be quite young。 Then I saw that tears were running out of her eyes。
I understood at once。 She had just worn herself out in the eagerness of waiting。
Well； here was one that wasn't waiting！
The car springs began to rock。
〃O Allah！〃 sobbed the girl。
After a while； I heard an evil laugh。 I saw that Ters was standing； leaning against the tree； watching the road。
A passing caravan suddenly veered when the girl screamed 〃O ALLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAH！〃
A little later； I looked up and Ters was actually herding some camels and donkeys closer to the car！
〃Get them away from here！〃 I screamed at him。 〃How can I concentrate！〃
〃The animals hide the car！〃 said Ters。 〃Ahmed said it must be secret。〃 He gave his evil laugh。
But even so； despite the camels； the evening came off all right。
And once more Ters drove away with the girl looking out the back window； the moonlight plainly lighting the pleading look she was giving me。
Contented； I knew I was really a hit amongst hits！ Every night； that same beseeching look。 These women must be going absolutely insane over me！
What a beautiful idea； the car and the women！
All the third morning； I slept a dreamless sleep。 I awoke and had a bounteous breakfast served by a cringing staff。 Totally enjoyable。
Torgut； who was standing there with a club in his hand in case the waiter tried to get off his knees； asked； however； an unfortunate question。 〃Will it be the same schedule tonight； O Master？〃 he said。
I was about to say yes when a thought suddenly struck me。 I must be almost out of money！
I rushed to my safe。
Fatality！ I didn't have two hundred thousand lira left！
However； that was soon handled。 I was a very rich
Gris and had not drawn my million…lira allowance for the week。
I dressed in a purple silk shirt and a charcoal suit with purple pinstripes。 I put on my bearskin coat and my karakul hat。 Because I would be carrying money； I picked the FIE shotgun out of the case and checked its load。
Word had been taken to Ters。 The Daimler…Benz was already warming up。
The back seat was all cleaned up。 I got in。 He closed the door。 He got under the wheel。 He gave his evil laugh。 I shuddered at it a little bit but away we went。
We tore along the road remarkably fast。 We spilled a camel load of opium and it cheered me greatly when the donkey who had been leading the camel bucked and brayed。 It was a beautiful if bitterly cold day。 And that little drama made it perfect。 Nobody was going to argue with this huge； bulletproof limousine and its red eagles！
We blocked the traffic before the Piastre Branch Bank in Afyon and I went in。
The teller recognized me on sight。 He called the manager。 The manager beckoned me into his office and set a chair for me。
〃Mudur Zengin in Istanbul asked for you to call when you came in；〃 he said。 〃If you。。。〃
〃I don't want to talk to Zengin；〃 I said。 〃I just want my million…lira allowance for the week。 I can't send a messenger； you know。 Only I can pick it up。〃
〃Please；〃 he said。
He got Mudur Zengin on the phone quite quickly for Turkey。 I put the shotgun down on a chair and took the proffered instrument。
〃Hello； Zengin；〃 I said。 〃I trust there's no hanky…panky about my weekly allowance。〃
〃No；〃 said Mudur Zengin。 〃That is； not at the moment。 I wanted to tell you personally and in confidence that your concubine is not following your orders pletely。 While all purchases have stopped elsewhere； they are still ing in from the Bonbucks Teller Central Purchasing agent on the Squeeza credit card。 We've just gotten one here for nearly a hundred and eighty thousand dollars。〃
〃Look at the date；〃 I said。 〃I think you will find it predates my orders to her。 They simply sent it in late。〃 （Bleep） that Krak！
〃Do you mind if I call Squeeza on the other phone？ They did not give me the exact date of invoice at the store。〃
Go ahead； I thought。 That's pretty ancient history。
He came back on。 〃You were right about the date of that one。 But what they told me was correct。 They have quite a few ing in since。 They are small。 But they exist。 Your concubine has not obeyed your orders and is still purchasing； evidently by phone to New York。〃 （Bleep）； （bleep）； （bleep） that Krak！
〃I wanted to be sure you knew；〃 said Zengin。 〃You see； this pulls down the amount of money I can