A Dead Man in Athens by Michael Pearce Read Free Book Online Page B

experience, they could be really something. There’s a lot of dash about them.’
    ‘We’re trying to see that it doesn’t get to war,’ said the First Secretary.
    Stevens shrugged. ‘Well, good luck. But from what I can see, over at the army base where I’ve got my workshop, they’re taking it for granted.’ He looked at the First Secretary. ‘You know, you want to get in on this.’
    ‘The last thing I have in mind!’ said the First Secretary.
    ‘No, no, from the country’s point of view. England . . . I mean. There’s money in it. For British industry, I mean. And it would bring the industry on. A few big contracts would do wonders. And I could help, you know. I’m well placed. I could push things our way. You want to think about it.’
    Seymour walked back to the Sultan’s residence through a deserted Athens. Everyone was indoors retreating from the heat. In the main square the tables were empty and the cabs had come to a halt. Their drivers were sleeping inside their cabs or else were stretched out in the shade between the wheels. The sunlight was blinding on the new white marble of the buildings. In the drive leading up to the house the guards were once more asleep. They barely looked up at him as he passed.
    He had half expected to find the Acting-Vizier’s assistant asleep too but he appeared at once.
    ‘Certainly!’ he said, and led Seymour to the dark room with the cushions that he had been in before, which obviously served as a reception room. ‘What is it that you would like to know?’
    ‘I would like you to tell me about the harem – how it is organized, who runs it, who controls access to it, that sort of thing.’
    ‘Well, of course, it is a very much reduced harem compared with what it was in Istanbul. In Istanbul there were over a hundred wives and many concubines as well. And many servants. The harem spread over several buildings. But when His Highness was . . . obliged to leave he was not able to bring them all with him. The space . . .’
    He frowned.
    ‘When we were in Salonica we had more space. That was where we were moved to first. It is, in fact, in Ottoman territory and the Sultan was treated with proper respect. Even though . . . circumstances had changed.’
    ‘Why did he move to Athens?’
    ‘He was worried about his health. The move was not – is not – intended to be anything other than temporary. There are better medical facilities here. And he felt . . . nervous about being treated in Salonica.’
    ‘I see. And what – in general terms, if you like – was the nature of his problem?’
    The assistant hesitated.
    ‘It was hard to establish. That, roughly, was why we came to Athens.’
    ‘And then the cat died –’
    ‘Which naturally gave a focus to his worries.’
    ‘Now, of course, the place the cat died was the harem.’
    ‘Yes. You were asking me how it was organized. There are six royal wives – here, that is – each of whom has her own room. It was difficult to find a house with a sufficient number of rooms. The rooms had to be exactly equal, you see, or it would cause trouble. We had to have alterations made. For example, the Sultan’s own apartments are actually outside the harem and we had to have a communicating door put in –’
    ‘Doesn’t that create a security problem? I understood that access to the harem was strictly controlled?’
    ‘It is. The communicating door is kept locked and only the Sultan has a key.’
    ‘I see. And the six rooms where the wives are, are they kept locked too?’
    ‘Only when the Sultan is inside. Otherwise they are kept not just unlocked but open.’
    ‘Open?’
    ‘The doors are always kept open. There is a degree of . . . what shall I say, invigilation in the harem.’
    ‘And that is the function of the eunuchs?’
    ‘Largely, yes.’
    ‘And they report to . . .?’
    ‘Abd-es-Salaam. The Acting-Vizier.’
    ‘Is there a Chief Eunuch?’
    The Vizier’s assistant hesitated.
    ‘Ali is the senior