acrossasiaminoro00chiluoft

278 ACROSS ASIA MINOR ON FOOT
light wines, native and European Greeks at mastica,
and all of them at cards. They were not late
drinkers, however, and I slept well enough among
the sacks of potatoes and garlic and tins of kerosene
which crowded the floor.
But when it came to payment in the morning
a serious difference arose between the host and
myself. His demand was that I should pay for
four beds ; but for me he would have filled four beds
in the room, he said—which I had good reason for
disbelieving. To strengthen his claim he alleged
that I had consumed his potatoes and garlic. He
was a Greek and therefore an opportunist, and I
did well to get off with paying only four shillings
for room space and cold water.
My dispute with the fellow, however, was mild
compared with Ighsan's. He had been grossly overcharged
for horse feed, and now all the conscious
dominance of Moslem and Turk flamed up in an explosion
of wrath which transformed him. He literally
foamed at the mouth. He was not to be robbed by
any "Rum" on earth. Boiling with rage he took his
startled opponent by the beard, and vigorously sawed
the edge of a hand across his throat in illustration
of what should be done with a knife. Even when
we reached Ulu Kishla in the afternoon, Ighsan
had not recovered his equanimity. A good-looking
serving-lad of the kha7i stood leaning casually against
the wall, apparently expecting him to carry my
luggage upstairs. With scorn Ighsan inquired his
country.
" Selefke," returned the youth pertly, still not
offering to stir. With that the old man flung the
loaded hahe across the lad's shoulder and led him
by the ear to the staircase, and saw to it that he
did his duty from first to last.