lrh.fortuneoffear-第17部分

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！


　　　Magic。　We　immediately　had　enough　space　to　turn　around　while　people　scrabbled　for　the　kurus。
　　　The　taxi　driver　was　up　to　it。　We　soon　were　speeding　on　our　way。
　　　〃The　car！〃　he　said。　〃It's　over　in　Beyoglu。　Hold　on；　I'll　have　you　there　in　no　time。〃
　　　We　roared　past　the　Egyptian　Bazaar；　twisted　our　way　into　the　mainstream　of　the　approaches　and　were　soon　rattling　across　the　Galata　Bridge　which　separates　the　Golden　Horn　from　the　Bosporus。
　　　We　progressed　through　a　band　of　smoke…belching　factories　and；　diving　down　some　questionable　alleyways；　at　length　emerged　into　an　area　which　might　have　once　been　an　estate　but　which　today　was　a　gecekondu；　a　word　which　means　〃set　down　by　night〃　and　designates　a　squatter　town　of　the　meanest　hovels。
　　　Wheels　skidding　in　garbage　and　mud；　the　taxi　approached　what　might　have　once　been　a　stable　but　was　now　held　together　mainly　by　the　sheet…iron　shanties　that　were　using　it　for　a　back　wall。
　　　〃You　let　me　do　all　the　talking；〃　said　the　taxi　driver；　Ahmed。　〃And　throw　your　coat　or　something　over　that　bale　of　money。〃　He　got　out　and　approached　a　door。
　　　I　did　as　he　asked。　Looking　at　some　of　the　people　around　here；　I　also　reloaded　the　shotgun。　Gods；　but　this　was　a　slum！
　　　The　taxi　driver　came　back　shortly。　He　beckoned　me　to　get　out。　He　locked　up　the　cab　thoroughly。　He　whispered；　〃Now；　don't　let　out　any　cries　of　delight　or　anything　like　that。　This　is　a　real　find。　The　general　owned　this　estate　once。　He　was　a　very　famous　man。　They　have　no　idea　at　all　of　the　value　of　the　car；　as　it　was　bought　when　the　lira　was　worth　a　hundred　times　what　it　is　now。　So　don't　go　shouting　'huzzah。'　And　don't　go　throwing　your　cap　in　the　air。　And　let　me　do　the　bargaining。〃
　　　I　agreed。　By　bending　down　and　going　through　a　tunnel　of　fallen　stone；　we　came　into　a　dim　area。
　　　There　was　a　loud　bustle　and　squawk。　Disturbed　chickens　were　flying　everywhere！
　　　My　eyes　became　accustomed　to　the　gloom。　A　huge　bulk　of　something　loomed。　It　was　covered　with　a　worn…out　army　tarpaulin。　And　the　tarpaulin　was　covered　totally　with　chicken　dung。
　　　I　heard　a　sort　of　evil　cackle　to　my　right。　An　ancient　man　was　standing　there。　He　had　a　nose　like　a　beak。　He　had　no　teeth。　That　laugh　was　reminiscent　of　the　Manco　Devil。
　　　A　woman　bustled　in　from　a　side　door。　She　had　two　naked　children　clinging　to　her　skirt。　She　was　very　fat　and　very　dirty。
　　　〃Where's　the　car？〃　I　whispered　to　Ahmed。
　　　〃Right　there；〃　he　said。　〃Don't　try　to　lift　the　tarpaulin。　I've　been　through　all　that。　It's　all　right。〃
　　　I　peeked　anyway。　I　saw　a　tire　so　flat；　the　rim　was　through　the　rubber。　I　went　a　little　further。　I　flinched。　I　was　staring　eye　to　eye　with　an　eagle！　It　was　bright　red。
　　　Its　wings　were　outstretched。　It　had　horns！　It　was　painted　on　the　door。
　　　〃The　general　was　descended　from　the　Gok　Turks；〃　whispered　the　taxi　driver。　〃One　of　his　ancestors　was　the　Turk　hero；　Kultegin。　That　eagle　appears　in　his　crown。　Ain't　it　great？〃
　　　I　dropped　the　tarpaulin　and　wiped　some　chicken　dung　off　my　fingers　in　straw。　〃Is　there　any　car　behind　it？〃　I　asked。
　　　〃It's　a　Daimler…Benz；〃　whispered　Ahmed。　〃Don't　be　misled。　It's　been　sitting　there　for　more　than　a　quarter　of　a　century。　It　needs　a　little　work。〃
　　　The　dirty　woman　spoke　up。　It　was　just　as　though　she　was　picking　up　a　conversation　that　had　not　been　concluded。　〃And　I　won't　take　a　kuru　less！〃
　　　〃I'd　have　to　see　the　registration　papers；〃　said　Ahmed。　〃How　do　I　know　they're　valid？〃
　　　She　reached　into　her　apron　pocket。　〃They're　right　here　and　I　own　it。　You're　not　going　to　swindle　me　out　of　anything！　I　was　his　cook　and　the　court　awarded　it　to　me　for　unpaid　wages。　Here's　all　the　papers。　And　you　can　argue　until　you　explode　and　I　am　not　going　to　reduce　it　one　piastre！　I　know　you　swindlers。　This　car　has　historical　significance。　He　was　shot　right　there　in　the　back　seat。〃
　　　〃I　thought　it　was　bulletproof；〃　I　whispered。
　　　〃He　had　the　window　down；〃　said　Ahmed。　Then　to　the　woman　he　said；　〃Well；　all　right；　hanim；　if　that's　the　way　it　is；　we'll　take　it。〃
　　　I　tugged　his　sleeve　urgently。　〃Wait；　wait；〃　I　whispered。　〃This　thing　won't　even　run！〃
　　　Ahmed　brushed　my　hand　off。　〃I　told　you　not　to　appear　excited；〃　he　whispered。　〃You'll　drive　the　price　up。〃
　　　I　moaned　to　myself。　Here　went　the　bulk　of　my　week's　allowance　for　a　piece　of　junk！
　　　Ahmed　and　the　woman　did　a　firm　handshake。　She　said；　〃I'll　sign　over　the　papers　just　the　moment　I　see　the　money。〃
　　　Ahmed　turned　to　me。　He　said；　〃Here　are　the　keys。　I　don't　want　to　be　handling　your　money。　Run　out　and　get　twenty　thousand　lira。〃
　　　I　was　stunned。　I　almost　laughed。　And　then　I　remembered　in　time　his　admonition。　I　raced　out　and　undid　the　bale。　I　grabbed　a　double　handful；　locked　the　taxi　and　raced　back　in。　I　was　hard　put　not　to　guffaw　aloud。　Twenty　thousand　lira　is　only　two　hundred　U。　S。　dollars！
　　　The　ancient　man　was　standing　there　cackling　his　evil　laugh。
　　　Ahmed　got　the　papers　all　signed　and　counted　two　hundred　hundred…lira　notes　into　her　hand；　told　her　someone　would　e　for　it。
　　　We　drove　away。　〃You　had　me　worried　there；〃　he　said。　〃I　was　afraid　you'd　let　the　cat　out　of　the　bag　that　we　were　practically　stealing　it。〃
　　　〃Why　so　cheap？〃　I　said。　〃It　would　be　worth　that　for　scrap。〃
　　　〃I　think　the　general　was　on　the　wrong　side；〃　said　Ahmed。　〃He　tried　to　stage　a　counter…coup　and　put　a　sultan　back　on　the　throne。　But　we're　in　cars；　not　politics。　I've　got　to　get　over　to　Yolcuzade　Street　and　get　to　the　garage　that　told　me　about　it。〃
　　　Soon；　we　were　in　a　more　civilized　part　of　Beyoglu；　the　area　of　Istanbul　on　the　north　side　of　the　Golden　Horn。　We　pulled　up　in　a　ramshackle　garage　where　lots　of　trucks　stood　about　in　various　stages　of　disrepair。
　　　A　tough…looking　Turk　came　over　and　he　and　Ahmed　walked　away。　Ahmed　was　showing　him　the　registration　papers。　They　had　a　low…voiced　conversation　and　suddenly　the　tough　Turk's　voice　rose　to　a　crescendo。
　　　〃But；〃　he　yelled；　〃I　went　over　myself　and　inspected　it！　It　needs　new　tires；　new　hoses；　new　gaskets；　new　exhaust　pipes；　new　upholstery　and　a　dead　rabbit　taken　out　of　the　transmission！　I　won't　do　it　for　a　kuru　less　than。。。〃
　　　Ahmed　was　shushing　him。　He　led　him　much　further　away。　Finally　Ahmed　came　over　to　the　taxi。　〃I　finally　beat　him　down。　He'll　put　it　all　in　running　order　but　he　demands　we　pay　him　in　advance。　Give　me　five　thousand　of　those　hundred…lira　notes。〃
　　　〃Five　hundred　thousand　lira！〃　I　gaped。
　　　〃Well；　yes。　They　don't　make　parts　for　it　anymore　and　any　they　need　will　have　to　be　hand…machined。　That's　only　five　thousand　U。　S。　dollars。　We　own　it　now。　We　can't　just　let　it　sit　there。　The　police　would　get　after　us。〃
　　　I　knew　I　was　beaten。
　　　〃Here；〃　he　said；　〃I'll　help　you　count　it　out。〃
　　　〃No；　no；〃　I　said。　〃I'll　let　nobody　touch　money　now　but　me。〃　I　began　to　pick　up　packets　of　hundred…lira　notes。　It　made　the　bale　less　than　half。
　　　He　got　a　big　basket　and　carted　the　money　away。
　　　Oh；　well；　it　was　a　one…time…only　expense。　And　I　could　call　upon　the　Afyon　Branch　at　any　time　for　more。
　　　I　wondered　what　the　car　was　really　like　under　that　coating　of　chicken　dung。

Chapter　3

　　　Along　routes　taken　by　the　victorious　Alexander；　in　the　paths　of　the　Romans　who　had　conquered　the　East；　over　the　broad　highways　established　by　the　Crusaders　in　their　holy　cause；　I　sped　back　to　Afyon。
　　　The　old　Citroen　taxi　with　Deplor　of　planet　Modon　at　the　wheel　might　not　have　pared　to　the　cloth…of…gold　caparisoned　horses　who　had　carried　the　swaggering　giants　of　history　when　they　invaded　Asia；　but　it　made　better　time。　It　ignored　the　shouts　and　shaken　fists　which　always；　since　time　began；　have　protested　the　overrunning　of　Anatolia　and　laying　it　waste　with　lakes　of　blood。　Travelling　at　ninety　and　a　hundred　miles　an　hour；　the　taxi's　way　was　not　seriously　disputed　by　other　motorists；　trucks；　donkeys　and　camels。　We　were　going　too　fast　for　them　to　note　down　the　license　plates　and　they　were　only　riffraff　anyway；　far　beneath　a　conqueror's　contempt。
　　　There　were　going　to　be　some　changes　made。
　　　They　started　the　moment　the　rugged　and　aggressive　spire　of　Afyonkarahisar　came　into　view。　The　wintry　air　of　this　3；000…foot…high　plateau　was　clear　as　crystal　today　and　the　750…foot　fortress　stood　out　like　a　finger　of　a　God　about　to　goose　the　Heavens。　It　was　a　clear　mand　for　me　to　do　likewise。
　　　〃Where　can　I　find　Musef　and　Torgut？〃　I　yelled　at　the　taxi　driver。　They　were　the　two　wrestlers　Heller　had　messed　up。
　　　Driving　madly　into　the　outskirts；　he　yelled　back；　〃Ain't　seen　'em　since　they　got　out　of　the　hospital。　I　don't　think　anybody　else　has；　either。〃
　　　〃You　find　them！〃　I　manded。　〃And　right　now！〃
　　　A　local　cab　ahead　was　discharging　a　passenger　and　a　goat　into　a　mud　hut。　Ahmed　screeched　our　Citroen　to　a　halt。　He　had　a　rapid　interchange　with　the　local　hacker。
　　　Shortly　we　were　diving　down　an　alley。　We　emerged　in　a　backstreet　slum。
　　　Ahmed　crossed　a　litter…strewn　yard　and　knocked　at　a　rickety　door。　After　some　time；　it　opened　a　tiny　crack。　The　taxi　driver　came　back　to　the　cab。　〃They're　in　there。　They　don't　want　to　see　anybody。〃
　　　I　stuffed　a　handful　of　lira　in　my　pocket　and　got　out。
　　　〃Lock　the　cab　so　nobody　can　get　at　this　money　and　go　kick　the　door　in。　I'll　be　right　behind　you。〃
　　　Reassured　by　the　way　I　was　gripping　the　shotgun；　Ahmed　did　as　he　was　told。　He　prudently　stepped　aside。
　　　I　yelled　into　the　room。　〃I've　e　to　give　you　a　job！〃
　　　Rapid　whisperings　came　out　of　the　interior；　for　all　the　world　like　rats　running　around。
　　　Then　somebody　called；　〃We　don't　believe　you　but　e　in；　anyway。〃
　　　I　entered。　The　room　was　dark　and　dirty；　more　like　a　hole　in　the　mud　than　living　quarters。
　　　Musef　and　Torgut　stood　at　the　far　side　of　the　room。　They　were　certainly　shadows　of　their　former　selves。　They　must　have　lost　a　hundred　pounds　apiece　and　their　yellow　skin　sagged　on　them；　kind　of　grayish。　They　were　dressed　in　rags；　had　probably　sold　their　clothes。　Here　were　two　bully　boys　e　on　hard　times。　Just　what　I　wanted。
　　　〃How　are　you？〃　I　said。
　　　Musef　said　to　Torgut；　〃He　asks　us　how　we　are。　Is　he　blind；　you　think？〃
　　　Torgut　said；　〃Well；　tell　him。　He's　holding　the