Page:Kéraban the Inflexible Part 1 (Jules Verne).djvu/91

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" day, friend Selim, good day. May Allah protect you and yours!"

So saying, Kéraban shook Selim's hand warmly.

"Good day, nephew Ahmet;" and then Kéraban folded the young man in his arms.

"Good day, my little Amasia," he continued, kissing the girl on both cheeks.

All this passed so quickly that no one had any time to reply to the salutations.

"Now we had better be going," said Kéraban, turning to Van Mitten.

The phlegmatic Dutchman, who had not been introduced, appeared like some strange personage in the scene. Seeing Kéraban distributing his hand-shakes and embraces with such prodigality, Van Mitten had no doubt that his friend had come to hasten the marriage; but when Kéraban cried "en route," the Dutchman was greatly amazed.

It was Ahmet, however, who first interposed.

"How!" he exclaimed. "Going away?"

"Yes, we are off again, nephew."

"You really are going, uncle?"

"This moment."

The general astonishment was very marked, and Van Mitten whispered to Bruno,—

"Certainly this way of acting is very characteristic of my friend Kéraban."

"Very much so," replied Bruno.

Meanwhile Amasia looked at Ahmet, who looked at Selim, while Nedjeb had eyes for no one but this mysterious uncle who was anxious to get away almost before you could say he had arrived.