"But you can't. There!"
At that moment Scarpante and the Maltese captain, who had been walking up and down the open space, approached the two friends. Seigneur Kéraban was saying to his companion,—
"That's understood. In six weeks at latest, we will start for Odessa together."
"And the wedding wilt take place—"
"As soon as we arrive," replied Kéraban.
Yarhud whispered to Scarpante,—
"Six weeks! We have plenty of time."
"Yes, but not too much; however, the more the better," replied his friend. "Don't forget, Yarhud, that before the six weeks have passed, Seigneur Saffar will have returned to Trebizond."
So they continued their promenade, but with eyes and ears open.
Meantime Kéraban had continued his conversation with Van Mitten.
"My friend Selim," he said, "is always hurried, and my nephew is in tremendous haste and more impatient still for the conclusion of the marriage. I must tell you that they have some reason for their impatience. The young lady must be married before she is seventeen, or she will lose a fortune of one hundred thousand pounds (Turkish[1]) which an old fool of an aunt has left her under that condition. Her seventeen years will expire in six weeks. So I made her listen to reason, and told her that the marriage need not take place till the end of next month.
"Your friend Selim has no objection, then?"
"Naturally, none."
"And Ahmet—"
"He is most willing, of course. He adores Amasia, and I approve. He has plenty of time for marrying, and has no business at all. You can understand his anxiety, being a married man, Van Mitten."
"Yes, oh, certainly!" replied the Dutchman. "But it is a long time ago, and I can scarcely remember all about it."
- ↑ About 90,000l. English money.
