‘This Mouraki was a cunning fellow,’ said he; ‘but if anyone had chanced to get hold of this box of his while he was alive he would not have enjoyed even so poor a post as he thought his governorship. Indeed, Lord Wheatley, had you been actually a party to his death, I think you need have feared nothing when some of these papers had found their way to the eyes of the Government. We’re well rid of him, indeed! But then, as I always say, these Armenians, though they’re clever dogs--’ But I had not come to hear a Turk discourse on Armenians, and I broke in, with an impatience that I could not altogether conceal: ‘I beg your pardon; but is that all you wanted to say to me?’ ‘I should have thought that it was of some importance to you,’ he observed. ‘Certainly,’ said I, regaining my composure a little; ‘but your courtesy and kindness had already reassured me.’ He bowed his acknowledgments, and proceeded in a most leisurely tone, sorting the papers and documents before him into orderly heaps. ‘On the death of the Pasha, the government of the island having devolved temporarily on me, I thought it my duty to examine his Excellency’s--curse the dog!--his Excellency’s despatch-box, with the result that I have discovered very remarkable evidences of the schemes which he dared to entertain. With this, however, perhaps I need not trouble you.’ ‘I wouldn’t intrude into it for the world,’ I said. ‘I discovered also,’ he pursued, in undisturbed leisure and placidity, ‘among the Pasha’s papers a letter addressed to--’ ‘Me?’ and I sprang forward. ‘No, to your cousin, to this gentleman. Pursuing what I conceived to be my duty--and I must trust to Mr Swinton to forgive me--’ Here the exasperating fellow paused, looked at Denny, waited for a bow from Denny, duly received it, duly and with ceremony returned it, sighed as though he were much relieved at Denny’s complaisance, cleared his throat, arranged a little heap of papers on his left hand, and at last--oh, at last!--went on. ‘This letter, I say, in pursuance of what I conceived to be my duty--’ ‘Yes, yes, your duty, of course. Clearly your duty. Yes?’ ‘I read. It appeared, however, to contain nothing of importance.’ ‘Then, why the deuce-- I mean--I beg your pardon.’ ‘But merely matters of private concern. But I am not warranted in letting it out of my hands. It will have to be delivered to the Government with the rest of the Pasha’s papers. I have, however, allowed Mr Swinton to read it. He says that it concerns you, Lord Wheatley, more than himself. I therefore propose to ask him to read it to you (I can decipher English, but not speak it with facility) in my presence.’ With this he handed an envelope to Denny. We had got to it at last. ‘For heaven’s sake be quick about it, my dear boy!’ I cried, and I seated myself on the table, swinging my leg to and fro in a fury of restless impatience. The captain eyed my agitated body with profound disapproval.