Turkish Gambit by Boris Akunin Read Free Book Online Page A

happily without our heroic efforts - please spare me that.'
    'I shall not spare you, sir, I will not!' said Mizinov, growing angry. 'If patriotism is merely an empty word to you, then permit me to remind you, Mister Titular Counsellor, that you are not in retirement, but only on indefinite leave, and although you may be listed as a member of the diplomatic corps, you are still on service with me, in the Third Section!'
    Varya gave a feeble gasp of amazement. She had taken Fandorin for a decent man - but he was a police agent! And he had even made himself out to be some kind of romantic hero, like Lermontov's Pechorin. That intriguing pallor, that languid glance, that nobly greying hair. How could she trust anyone after this?
    'Your Excellency,' Erast Petrovich said in a quiet voice, clearly not even suspecting that in Varya's eyes he was now irrevocably damned, 'it is not you that I serve, but Russia. And I do not wish to take any part in a war that is not only pointless, but actually ruinous for her.'
    'It is not your place, or mine, to draw conclusions concerning the war. His Majesty the Emperor decides such matters’ Mizinov retorted curtly.
    An awkward pause ensued. When the chief of gendarmes began speaking again, his voice sounded quite different.
    'Erast Petrovich, my dear fellow,' he began imploringly. 'Hundreds of thousands of Russian people are risking their lives, the burden of war has almost brought the country to its knees . . . and I have a dark presentiment of disaster. Things are going far too smoothly altogether. I am afraid it will all end very badly
    When no reply was forthcoming, the general rubbed his eyes wearily and confessed: 'It is hard, Fandorin, I am struggling, surrounded by chaos and incompetence. I am short of men, especially intelligent and capable ones, and I have no wish to burden you with dull routine. I have a little task in mind that is very far from simple, but just the very thing for you.'
    At that Erast Petrovich inclined his head, intrigued, and the general continued ingratiatingly: 'Do you recall Anwar-effendi? Sultan Abdul-Hamid's secretary. You know, the Turk who surfaced briefly in the "Azazel" case?'
    Erast gave the faintest of shudders, but he said nothing.
    Mizinov hemmed ironically. 'You know, that idiot Kazanzaki took you for him - I ask you! We have information that this interesting Turk is personally heading a secret operation against our forces. An audacious individual, with a flair for adventure. He could quite easily turn up at our positions in person,in fact, it would be just like him. Well, are you interested?'
    'I am 1-listening, Lavrenty Arkadievich’ said Fandorin, with a sideways glance at Varya.
    'Well, that's splendid,' Mizinov said delightedly and shouted, 'Novgorodtsev! The file!'
    A middle-aged major with adjutant's aiguillettes walked quietly into the room, handed the general a folder bound in red calico and immediately went out again. Varya spotted Lieutenant-Colonel Kazanzaki's sweaty features through the doorway and gave him a gleeful, mocking grin - Serves you right, you sadist, stand out there now and stew in your own juice.
    'Right then, this is what we have on Anwar,' said the general, rustling the sheets of paper. 'Would you like to take notes?'
    'I shall remember it,' replied Erast Petrovich.
    'The facts about his early life are very scanty. He was born approximately thirty-five years ago - according to some sources, in the Bosnian Moslem village of Hef-Rai's. His parents are unknown. He was raised somewhere in Europe, in one of Lady Astair's celebrated educational institutions. You remember her, of course, from the "Azazel" business.'
    It was the second time that Varya had heard that strange name, and the second time that Fandorin reacted strangely, jerking his chin as though his collar had suddenly become too tight for him.
    'Anwar-effendi's name cropped up about ten years ago, when Europe first began hearing about the great Turkish reformer