lrh.fortuneoffear-第48章

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worth　conquering　anyway。　Alexander's　adventures　had　been　but　a　waste　of　time。
　　　We　crossed　the　Bosporus　into　Europe　about　ten。　We　finally　crossed　the　Galata　Bridge　over　the　Golden　Horn　and　wove　our　way　through　the　dying　streets　of　Istanbul。　We　came　at　last　to　the　Piastre　Bankasi。　The　car　came　to　a　stop。
　　　I　intended　to　have　the　inevitable　night　watchman　call　Mudur　Zengin。　I　had　gotten　this　far　and　I　was　safe。　But　this　was　the　end　of　the　line　for　Ters　and　Ahmed。　I　slipped　a　time　bomb　with　a　plunger　fuse　under　the　cushion　of　the　rear　seat。　I　depressed　the　plunger。　Ten　minutes　from　now；　this　car　and　its　villainous　occupants　would　spatter　all　over　the　landscape　in　bits　of　dismayed　and　burning　flame。　Bye…bye；　you　woman　grabbers。
　　　I　tossed　my　grip　out　onto　the　sidewalk。　I　got　out。　I　said　casually；　〃You　can　go　home　now。　I　won't　be　needing　you。〃
　　　〃Don't　you　want　us　to　take　you　to　the　airport？〃　said　Ahmed。
　　　〃Airport？〃　I　said。　〃What　gave　you　the　idea　I　was　leaving　Turkey？　I'm　just　going　to　be　in　town　three　or　four　days；　attending　a　convention　of　drug　pushers　at　the　Istanbul　Hilton。　You　didn't　think　I　would　pay　to　keep　you　two　in　a　hotel　all　that　time；　did　you？　So　bye…bye。　You're　homeward　bound；〃　to　whatever　Hells　they　reserve　for　criminals　who　grab　women　first　and　then　threaten　to　testify　that　it　was　all　at　my　orders。
　　　Ahmed　shrugged。　Ters　gave　his　evil　laugh。　And　away　they　went。　I　watched　their　taillights　fade　out　of　sight。　It　gave　me　a　great　deal　of　satisfaction。　There　wouldn't　even　be　enough　left　of　them　to　bury；　for　that　was　a　Voltar　maximum…destruction　pocket　bomb。
　　　A　moving　shadow　called　my　attention　suddenly　back　to　my　own　peril。　But　it　was　just　the　watchman。
　　　〃Phone　Mudur　Zengin　for　me；〃　I　ordered。　〃Have　him　e　down　to　the　bank。　Say　Sultan　Bey　wants　to　see　him。〃
　　　The　watchman　shined　a　flashlight　in　my　face。　Then　he　pointed　to　an　upper　window。　It　was　lighted。　〃He's　already　here；〃　the　watchman　said。　〃Came　in　half　an　hour　ago　and　said　he　was　expecting　you。〃
　　　A　chill　went　through　me。　Then　I　realized　it　was　true。　The　credit　panies　kept　an　accurate；　to…the…minute　check　on　the　whereabouts　of　the　paying　man。　They　had　told　Zengin。
　　　I　must　be　fast。　I　raced　inside。　I　entered　his　office。
　　　Coldly；　Mudur　Zengin　remained　at　his　desk　eyeing　me。　He　did　not　rise。　He　did　not　even　say　hello。　He　just　sat　there　and　looked　at　me。　I　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　room。
　　　〃I've　been　requested　to　detain　you；〃　Mudur　Zengin　said。
　　　Terror　surged　through　me。　They　knew。　They　were　after　me！
　　　I　went　down　on　my　knees。　〃Look；　you　were　the　boyhood　friend　of　my　father。　Please　don't　turn　me　in！　You've　got　to　help　me。　I　need　money！〃
　　　〃I　can't　give　you　any　money。　The　vaults　are　closed。〃
　　　〃Then　let　me　into　the　safe　deposit　boxes。〃
　　　〃I　can't。　They're　closed　tight。　Nothing　will　be　open　until　9：00　A。　M。　tomorrow。〃
　　　Too　late。　Too　late！　They　would　have　dragged　me　halfway　back　to　Afyon　by　then。
　　　〃I　need　dollars！〃　I　begged。
　　　〃Dollars？〃　he　said　coldly。　〃Why　don't　you　ask　your　concubine　for　dollars？〃
　　　〃Mudur；　please　hear　me。　I　need　dollars　and　I　need　them　right　now。　Tonight。　FAST！〃
　　　He　fixed　me　with　his　cold　banker's　eye。　〃The　only　dollars　available　at　this　time　of　night　are　not　the　bank's。　They　are　my　own。　I　keep　some　in　my　personal　safe。〃
　　　〃Give　them　to　me；〃　I　begged；　my　ear　cocked　for　any　sound　of　footsteps　on　the　stairs。　〃Quick！〃
　　　〃It　would　only　be　enough　to　tide　you　over；〃　he　said。　〃And　it　would　have　to　be　at　regular　terms：　30　percent　interest　per　month。〃
　　　He　pushed　a　piece　of　paper　at　me。　I　swiftly　signed　it。
　　　He　went　to　his　safe；　opened　it　and　took　out　some　packets　of　U。　S。　dollars；　counted　off　a　hundred　thousand　and　then　tossed　them　on　the　floor　and　pushed　them　toward　me　with　his　foot。
　　　I　bent　to　grab　them。　I　stuffed　them　in　my　pocket。　Then　I　saw　the　contempt　in　his　eyes。　It　struck　me　that　he　was　certainly　behaving　in　an　unfriendly　way。　Rushed　as　I　was；　I　still　said；　〃What　have　I　done？〃
　　　〃What　you　have　done；〃　he　said；　〃is　between　you　and　Allah。　It　is　not　given　to　a　mere　mortal　to　prehend　the　actions　of　such　as　you。〃
　　　He　walked　over　and　gave　me　a　shove　toward　the　door。　〃Good　night　and；　I　hope；　good…bye。〃

Chapter　8

　　　As　I　stole　out　of　the　bank；　I　knew　my　problem　was　threefold：
　　　
　　　A。　Get　out　of　Turkey。
　　　B。　Not　get　caught。
　　　C。　Cover　up　my　trail。
　　　
　　　In　terms　of　pure　theory；　it　seemed　elementary。　In　fact；　the　Apparatus　continually　pounded　（B）　and　（C）　into　one。　They　were　the　basis　of　practically　every　operating　plan。
　　　But　theory　is　one　thing　and　being　in　the　middle　of　the　night　in　Istanbul；　Earth；　surrounded　by　skulking　enemies　and　pursued　relentlessly　by　pitiless　women　who　had　noses　like　bloodhounds；　was　something　else。
　　　The　minarets　of　a　thousand　mosques　stood　around　me　with　pointing　fingers。　The　very　clouds　were　liable　to　open　and　drown　the　world　with　the　voice　of　the　Prophet　hollowly　manding　that　the　words　in　his　Qur'an　be　followed：　STONE　THE　ADULTERER　TO　DEATH！
　　　Spooky。　You　can　never　tell　about　these　primitive　religions。　They　might　e　true　suddenly。　The　very　towers　of　the　mosques　might　cave　in　on　me　to　do　just　that。
　　　I　kept　my　wits。　I　had　to。　Nobody　else　would　want　them。　Gods；　how　I　had　been　taken　in　by　those　women！
　　　Looking　up　and　down　the　street；　I　saw　that　Mudur　must　have　miscalculated。　He　would　want　me　under　obligation　on　a　note　before　he　called　the　police。　I　would　outwit　him！
　　　Running　like　a　hare；　clutching　my　bag　to　my　chest；　I　got　the　blazes　out　of　that　district。
　　　I　ducked　and　dodged　down　numerous　alleyways　and　streets。　No　pursuit　yet。　As　I　ran；　I　laid　my　careful　plans　to　escape　and　cover　my　tracks。
　　　Ahead　I　saw　a　small　and　mean　hotel。　I　slowed　to　a　sauntering　gait。　I　had　a　cunning　plan　for　the　first　stage。　Police；　when　they　want　to　trap　a　criminal　they　expect　to　be　in　a　hotel；　surround　it。　They　would　think　I　was　inside　when　I　was　outside；　and　I　would　be　able　to　detect　them。
　　　I　went　in。　The　clerk；　if　you　could　call　him　that；　was　sound　asleep。　I　woke　him　up　and　told　him　I　wanted　a　room。　Without　opening　his　eyes；　he　reached　up；　got　a　key　and　handed　it　to　me。
　　　Stealthily；　I　went　up　some　stairs。　I　found　the　room。　I　went　in　and　hid　my　bag。　There　was　a　drain　pipe。　I　slid　down　it。
　　　Through　an　alley　I　made　my　way　up　the　hill　to　some　always…open　stalls　around　the　Great　Bazaar。　There　were　no　throngs　at　such　an　hour。　Many　shops　were　closed。　But　I　soon　found　what　I　wanted：　an　Arab　and　Oriental　clothing　shop。　The　place　smelled　suffocatingly　of　mothballs　and　camels。　A　single　electric　bulb　shone　down　on　racks　of　tangled　merchandise。　I　pawed　through　them。　I　was　looking　for　a　djellaba；　a　hooded　cloak。　I　wanted　the　kind　that　Arab　chieftains　wear。　I　found　one。　It　was　of　soft；　yellow　wool。　A　bit　ornate；　since　it　had　a　border　of　embroidered　gold　thread；　but　it　would　have　to　do。　I　found　a　turban。　I　found　some　baggy　pants。　I　found　a　gold…embroidered　waistcoat　and　a　shirt。　I　found　a　bandolier　with　lots　of　pouches。
　　　The　proprietor；　suspecting　thieves；　woke　up。　He　was　very　fat　and　yawning。　He　looked　at　me　strangely。　He　began　to　add　up　the　items　I　had　selected。　He　yawned。　〃Eighteen　thousand　lira；〃　he　said。
　　　〃Nine　thousand　lira；〃　I　said。
　　　Then　he　did　something　very　suspicious。　He　shrugged　and　nodded！　He　did　not　try　to　bargain！　I　knew　what　that　meant。　He　was　hoping　to　lull　my　natural　alarm。
　　　I　got　out　a　bill。　My　Gods！　Mudur　Zengin　had　only　given　me　thousand…dollar　bills！
　　　I　had　no　choice。　I　had　to　give　it　to　him。
　　　〃I'll　have　to　wake　up　Muchmud　the　moneylender　next　door　to　get　the　change；〃　he　said。　My　suspicions　were　confirmed！　He　was　trying　to　detain　me！
　　　I　was　very　cool；　however。　〃Go　ahead；〃　I　said。
　　　He　was　gone　for　over　five　minutes！　I　knew　he　had　called　the　police。　He　said；　〃Here　is　your　change。　Ninety…one　thousand　lira。〃　It　was　an　awful　wad。　It　contained　small　bills。　He　thought　I　would　delay　long　enough　to　count　it。　I　would　fool　him。　I　didn't。　I　shoved　it　in　the　bundle。
　　　He　looked　at　me　strangely。　Then　it　hit　me　what　this　was　really　all　about。　He　was　making　sure　he