"Son of a dog," growled the old Turk, as he rubbed his pet corn in agony; "may your mother"s grave be defiled, and the jacka.s.s bray over your father"s bones."
"I really beg your pardon," began Mole, but just at this moment his right leg was taken with a spasmodic action, and began to stride along at a furious rate, creaking like mad.
Mole lost all control (if he ever had any) over his own movements, and was carried forward again, till he came where Herbert Murray and Chivey, having made a _detour_, happened to be just turning the corner of the street.
"Stop me," yelled Mole, as he flourished his stick over his head; "my spring legs are doing what they like with me. I have no control over them. Oh, dear, they are at it again."
Chivey, undeterred by his recent castigation, thought he would repeat the trick, so, when Mole came up, he, by a dexterous jerk, turned him round as on a pivot.
He was thus stopped in his forward course, but this didn"t check the action of his clockwork legs, which now scudded along as swiftly as before, into the very heart of the yelling crowd.
The result was rather bad for the Turks; they went down like a lot of ninepins before Mole"s railway-like progression.
"A mad Christian," they cried; "he is possessed with a devil; down with him."
The perspiration streamed from Mole"s face; he felt that if the spring-work in his new cork legs did not stop, he should die.
At this moment a body of women approached, closely veiled.
Their _yashmaks_ obscured all but their eyes, which could be seen to open wide in wonder at the extraordinary behaviour of the red-faced giaour.
Two of the younger and slender ones fell with piercing screams before Mole"s impetuous charge.
A third, a stout woman of middle age, stood her ground, and Mole, before he could stop himself, rushed into her arms, and floored her.
The scream she gave surpa.s.sed in loudness that of all the others put together; and brought up several ferocious-looking Turks, bent on condignly punishing the outrageous conduct of the mad Englishman.
"Death to the giaour; down with him!" roared the excited crowd.
What fate he would have suffered we dread to think, but he found an unexpected deliverer in the person of the old white-bearded Turk, whose corns he had trodden on.
"Defile not your hands with the blood of the unbeliever," he said; "but take him before the cadi to answer his conduct."
"To the cadi, to the cadi!" was now the cry.
"Hear me," said Mole, astonishing himself by his proficiency in Turkish; "I am not to blame, but at all events, take up those two other Englishmen who a.s.saulted me."
He pointed to Murray and Chivey, who had by this time got into a dense crowd of Turks, whom they were elbowing in an angry manner.
"Take all the infidels before the cadi," cried the Turks.
Herbert Murray and Chivey were accordingly seized, and the whole three borne off to one doom.
The cadi was seated in his divan, administering justice, as was his custom, in the open air.
His style of doing so was summary, but vigorous.
"Let the giaour, who has unwarrantably a.s.saulted the true believers, receive one hundred lashes," he said; "or pay fifty pieces of silver to our treasury."
"I haven"t got the money," said Mole.
"Then receive the punishment," said the cadi.
This time there was no ceremony used; two negroes bound Mole, pulled off his shoes and stockings, and exposed to view the new patent steel clock-work legs.
"Allah, what have we here?" cried the cadi. "Is the Christian enchanted, to be half man, half machinery?"
"My lord," said Mole, "if you"ll only permit me to speak, I"ll explain all.
"Having lost my legs in the wars, helping the Turks to beat their foes, I have been induced to try as a subst.i.tute this new invention, and behold, the legs were enchanted, and I had no control over them."
"Allah kerim! Can this be?" exclaimed the cadi.
"That was the whole reason of my conduct, your excellency," pursued Mole; "otherwise, I would perish sooner than have attacked true believers. But these infidels," he added, pointing to Murray and Chivey, "first attacked me, as many here may bear witness."
"If that be so," said the magistrate, "we will remit your sentence on payment of fifty sequins."
"Gladly would I pay the sum if I had it," said Mole; "but I haven"t."
"Search him," cried the cadi.
Mole was searched, but the investigations of the officer could not bring to light a greater sum in his pockets than a bad sixpence and a battered fourpenny-piece.
"Little enough," grumbled the cadi, pocketing the amount; "but as it is all you have, I consent to take it. We must have it out of the other infidels; they too are English, and look rich. Bring them before me."
Herbert Murray and Chivey were accordingly examined.
Mole gave evidence as to their a.s.saulting him, though they utterly denied doing so, but Mole"s statement being backed up by several believers who had witnessed it, the judge declared both guilty, and sentenced them to the bastinado.
"Me bastinadoed!" exclaimed the indignant Murray,. "I"d have you know, sir, that I"m an Englishman of rank, of influence, of property, and----"
"Of influence, eh? Very good; then you"ll have to pay a fine of five hundred sequins," cried the cadi, exultantly.
"I swear that I haven"t----"
"Search the infidels," cried the cadi.
The officers did so, and altogether twenty-five pounds, in gold, notes and silver, were found upon Murray and Chivey.
With an audible chuckle, the cadi took possession of it all.
"There," he said; "so now go in peace, all of you; and if I find you making another disturbance in the town, it will be bastinado and gaol, as well as a fine. Go, infidels, and remember the grand Turk."
CHAPTER Lx.x.xII.
THE CONSPIRATORS--THE DEED--THE FALSE INFORMERS.