Machine summary:
coffee and much conversation, Soubhy Bey took me out, as Rifaat had arranged, to see the house where he thought I could find comfortable rooms and cheap-belonging to a German lady of canonical age !
The house was a charming kiosque in a lovely garden, and the lady herself was irreproachable; but alas I she told me (what Rifaat had not under• stood apparently) that she was more or less under contract to a German family, who were to let her know their decision about Easter Day. It was a considerable disappointment to me, as, from what Rifaat said, I had regarded the affair as settled ; and I do so long to get away from this hotel and Pera generally.
When I told my news which contained no such tragedy she sent a maid after the ladies, who came back and I had to tell them (in French, of course, my Turkish does not run to long speeches yet) that accord• ing to what I had heard from two members of the Committee, Shukri Pasha and the remnant of the garrison had surrendered.
-There is no news since last I wrote, except that Miss Eckerlein is already planning things against your coming and the Turkish ladies are greatly interested in the foreseen event.
She apologised very much for the liberty that she was taking, but Mademoiselle Eckerlein had told her that I was an honourable person and a friend of the Turks and she had come to ask me what I really thought of the rumours with regard to Hasan Riza Pasha's death.