Patrick O'Brian - The Hundred Days

‘Wholly mistaken, my dear sir, if you will forgive me: wholly mistaken where the present juncture is concerned. You must understand that several of my cousins are bankers in the City - one of them is associated with Nathan Rothschild - and that I act as their consultant where eastern affairs are concerned. So I think I may confidently assert that at this point no bank in those parts could without long notice raise so much - let alone advance a single maravedi on such security. While as for the governments...’ Leaning forward and speaking in a much clearer, younger voice, his eyes full of life, he launched into an account of the economic basis of each Muslim country from the Persian Gulf to the Atlantic, its income and liabilities, its banking practice and forms of credit: he gave the impression of immense competence and authority - the old man’s quavering prolixity of earlier on disappeared entirely, and when he ended ‘... their only hope is Ibn Hazm of Azgar,’ Stephen cried, ‘I am sure of it, sir: would you have the great kindness to tell us something of the place and its ruler? For I blush to say that I know nothing of either.’

‘To be sure, it is small, and it has almost no history: but it is happily placed at the junction of three caravan routes, where one of the very few springs in that vast area rises pure and cool from the rock, watering a remarkable grove of date-palms. It is defended by its position, by the shrines of three universally-acknowledged Muslim saints, by the aridity of the surrounding country, and by the sagacity of a long-continued series of rulers. By immemorial custom the little state is run on lines not wholly unlike those I have observed in a well-run man-of-war: every man has his place and his duty; the day is divided by the blast of a ram’s horn, signifying assembly, prayers, meals, diversion, and the rest, while except in Ramadan there is daily exercise with cannon or small-arms. Furthermore, you must know that the customary dues and tolls levied on all caravans are paid, and always have been paid, in the form of very small ingots of pure gold. These are publicly weighed and publicly divided according to established shares, often being cut or reduced to powder and weighed again with extraordinary precision to the required amount. Clearly the ruler gets most, and in the course of several generations this must amount to a very great deal, in spite of the family’s proverbial charity. Where it is kept there is no telling - curiosity in Azgar would be sadly out of place - but since the Sheikh spends most of his time in the wilderness with the famous herds of Azgar camels

he may have banks of an impregnable security in any one of the innumerable caverns that are to be found where the limestone rises above the sand. At all events he possesses the means and the zeal to carry out this operation.’

‘In economies of this kind, would letters of credit, drafts on a banking-house or the like have any existence, sir?’

‘They are not unknown, as between merchants in high credit who have dealt with one another for many years: but in the present case the gold itself would have to travel to the coast and then take ship - no great matter, with a well armed troop of Azgar camels and the swift Algerine xebecs or galleys. But with the pace at which the 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, sir, is the gentleman married?’

‘I believe not,’ said Kent. ‘But if it is tomorrow’s unhappy affair that prompts your question, I can assure you he is perfectly orthodox in those respects. For a while he resided in Algiers on our behalf, and the reporting agent mentioned two mistresses, one white, one black. But apart from these ladies he had many connexions in Algiers, his musical abilities making him particularly welcome among the Europeans of the better sort: and these connexions may prove of the utmost value if Algiers is the chosen port, which seems...