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Russians are moving there is no
furious hurry, although from our latest information the fraternities’ messengers
may be on their way to Azgar by now; and in the intervening time, well before
Barclay de Tolly and Schwarzenberg can meet, it is to be hoped that the Royal
Navy will have made it impossible for any disaffected French man-of-war to help
the gold over the water, or for any vessel from the African shore to enter an
Adriatic port.’
    Mr Dee paused: the colour that had risen into his
face while he was speaking faded. He was old and remote once more, and seeing Kent glance at him with evident
concern he said, ‘Pray go on, Mr Kent.’
    ‘Very well, sir,’ said William Kent. ‘Dr Maturin,
when we were speaking of this matter with Sir Joseph and his colleagues, it was
suggested that with your knowledge of these parts and of the at least nominally
Turkish officials governing them - of many important private and ecclesiastical
persons - that you might bring pressure to bear - in a word, that you might
cause this conspiracy to fail. The Ministry attaches great importance to the
matter and you could draw on the Treasury for very large sums indeed, if, for
example arbitrary arrests and the like were called for.’ He looked earnestly
into Stephen’s face, coughed and went on, ‘One of those present said that you
might decline, for personal reasons and on the grounds that your
Turkish and Arabic did not meet your very high standards...’
    ‘Arabic?’
    ‘Yes, sir: it might be necessary to intervene in
Africa - in Algiers or one of the other ports for example, or conceivably in
Azgar itself. Others observed that your command of languages had already
allowed you to deal admirably with Turks, Albanians and Montenegrins before:
but Sir Joseph, though agreeing most emphatically, was of opinion that a
lieutenant capable of writing both these languages might take a great deal of
the strain off your shoulders. He said that Mr Dee -’ a bow to the old
gentleman who nodded ‘- and he were acquainted with just such a person, whose
discretion could be guaranteed, whose parts and conversation were usually
thought acceptable, and whose presence might induce you to agree - a physical
gentleman.’
    ‘There is indeed a great deal to be said for a
literary as well as a merely colloquial knowledge of both those languages: and
of Hebrew,’ said Stephen. ‘Would it be possible to see him, at all?’
    ‘He is in Gibraltar at this moment, Doctor,’
said Kent. Then, ‘I believe I
gathered from Sir Joseph that you might possibly be acquainted with him
already.’
    ‘May I ask, sir,’ said Mr Dee, reviving, ‘whether
you have any strong feeling against Jews?’
    ‘I have not, sir,’ replied Stephen.
    ‘I am glad of that,’ said Mr Dee, ‘for the
gentleman, the physical gentleman in question, is a Jew, a Spanish Jew. That is
to say he was brought up as an orthodox Sephardi, which gave him not only the
curious Spanish the Sephardim speak in Africa and the Turkish dominions,
but Hebrew too and Arabic, together with an equally fluent Turkish. But with
age and the influence of the Enlightenment - he studied in Paris before the Revolution -
his principles grew more... liberal, as one might say. Very much more so,
indeed: he quarrelled with the synagogue, and this had a disastrous effect on
his practice, which, from the paying point of view, was entirely among its
members. He was reduced to sad straits; but in earlier days, and out of mere
kindness, he often used his linguistic skill to help one of our friends; and
some time ago it was suggested that this assistance should be put on a more
formal basis. Since then he has carried out several missions for us, usually as
a merchant in precious stones, of which he has a considerable knowledge; and
with his wide acquaintance, relations, medical skill and so on he has given
very great satisfaction. We have of course repeatedly tested his - his
discretion - in the usual way.’
    ‘Tell me,