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A BARBER'S SHOP RECEIVES US 209
the gate refused us entrance, for the building was
filled with billeted troops, who seemed to be camping
even in the yard, and Ighsan turned away with
a gesture of despair. We went down the street inquiring
for shelter at various doors, but troops were
in every house, and our prospects went from bad to
worse.
At this stage Ighsan put the halter in my hand,
and telling me to wait, stumbled off to make further
inquiries. Half an hour passed and I saw nothing
of him. It seemed evident he had collapsed. I
could not imagine him wandering about all this time
without complete exhaustion taking place. And then
from the darkness I heard his voice saying, " Gliel ! ''
(Come !), and he reappeared, and leading the horse
down an alley stopped before an open door from
which a stream of light poured out into the blackness.
Looking in I saw a little room, not more
than ten feet square, in which were two barber's
chairs, half a dozen waiting customers, and two
barbers busy lathering and shaving. I hoped to
find a room at the back, but there was none : this
little barber's shop was the only shelter we could
get, and it became us to be thankful, as 2000 Turkish
infantry were billeted in the village.
At the back of the shop the divan, a yard in width,
was allotted to me as guest of honour. The waiting
customers upon it stood up, and here 1 placed my bed,
opened the cooking-box, and made tea and began to
warmx a stew I had cooked the previous evening.
These operations excited such a degree of interest
that the room became crowded to suffocation. Instead
of leaving, so many customers remained to look on
that the barber had to interfere and turn the gazers
out of doors. " Haide ! Haide " ! (Get out !), he cried
thereafter as each customer rose from the chair after
being shaved. As the light shone through the doorway
it fell on a crowd of peering dark Rembrandtesque
faces, content to watch from outside the "silvery
glitter of utensils, the stoves with blue flames, and
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