esoheneveragainslandershisExcellencythePreacherHojaEffendi,”aaboutdoingso?

    “Bringthelamphere,”saidBlaearthestove,thelightofthelampstruckbrokencoffeegrinders,sieves,scalesandpiecesofbrokencoffeecupslyinginthemudofspilledcoffee.Intheerwherethestorytellerhunghispictureseaight,Blackwasseargfortheperformer’sprops,sash,magi’shandkerchiefandpoppingstick.Blacksaidhewasafterthepicturesahelamphe’dtakenfrommetomyface:Yes,ofcourseI’ddrawntwoofthemoutofasenseoffraternity.WecouldfindnothingbutthePersianskullcapthatthedeceasedworeoverhisperfectlyshavedhead.

    Seeingnooneelse,weexitedintotheblaessofnightthroughanarrowpassagewaythatledawayfromthebackdoor.Duringtheraidmuchofthecrowdaistswithinprobablyescapedthroughthisdoor,buttheknocked-overplantersandbagsofcoffeestrewneverywhereindicatedthattherewasastrugglehereaswell.

    Thefactthatthecoffeehousewasraidedaerstorytellermurdered,coupledwiththeterrifyingblaessofnight,broughtBladIclether.Thiswasalsowhatcausedthesileweenus.Wepassedtwomorestreets.Bladedthelampbae,thenhedrewhisdaggerandpressedittomythroat.

    “We’regoingtoyourhouse,”hesaid.“IwanttosearchitsoIputmymindatease.”

    “It’salreadybeensearched.”

    Ratherthanbeoffendedbyhim,Ihadtheurgetoteasehim.Didn’tBlack’sbeliefinthedisgracefulrumorsaboutmesimplyprovehewasalsojealousofme?Heheldthedaggerwithoutmufidence.

    Myhouseositethedirewewereheadingalongtheroadleadingawayfromthecoffeehouse.Wetackedrightadownneighborhoodstreetsandpassedthroughemptygardensthatborethe