Page:Kéraban the Inflexible Part 1 (Jules Verne).djvu/50

52 large wheels, and was capable of defying the roughest roads.

Van Mitten and Kéraban occupied the interior of the chaise; Bruno add Nizib were perched up behind in the "cabriolet," which afforded them shelter, and was furnished with glasses which they could pull up at pleasure. Under such circumstances they felt equal to the journey to China, but fortunately the Black Sea did not extend so far, or Van Mitten would have been introduced to the "celestial" capital. Preparations for the journey were at once commenced, and if Kéraban could not start that very evening, as in the heat of the discussion he said he would do, he determined to leave the city at dawn next morning.

One night is not too long a period to make arrangements for such an expedition, and to put business matters in train. So the employés at the counting-house were "requisitioned" just as they were about to refresh themselves after a long day's fast. And Nizib was there, invaluable on all such occasions.

As for Bruno, he had to return to the Hotel de Pesth, Grande Rue de Pera, where his master and he had arrived that very morning, and arrange for the transfer of their luggage to the business premises of Kéraban. The faithful Dutchman was accompanied by his master, for he would not have dared to leave him.

"So, sir, it is all decided," he said, as soon as he and Van Mitten had quitted the merchant's house.

"How can it be otherwise with such a man as Kéraban?" said Van Mitten.

"And we are going all round the Black Sea?"

"Yes; unless my friend alters his course, which is almost an impossible contingency."

"I never thought we should ever find such a pig-headed Mussulman as he is," remarked Bruno.

"Your comparison, if not polite, is nevertheless correct," replied his master; "so, as I have hurt my hand in trying to hammer sense into him, I will abstain from attempting it in future."

"I was hoping to rest a little in Constantinople," said Bruno. "This journey and I"