The Case of the Golden Greeks by Sean McLachlan

Author:Sean McLachlan [McLachlan, Sean]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-11-06T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Dinner was a friendly affair that Moustafa enjoyed while at the same time feeling slightly uncomfortable. Other than a few quick, casual meals with Mr. Wall in his home, he had never sat at table with Europeans. At least Ahmed turned out to be an adequate cook and Captain Williams was friendly enough.

He had been around a great many Europeans and found they fell into two major categories—the dismissive ones and the earnest ones. Most Europeans looked down on Africans and thought ill of them when they thought of them at all. A much smaller category—missionaries and wealthy young adventurers mostly—were eager to show how much they respected you and were their brother from across the sea, even though they understood almost nothing about you and inevitably regressed back to the first category once they did. Mr. Wall was one of the earnest ones.

No, that wasn’t fair. That was Moustafa’s lingering anger over the incident with the opium clouding his judgment. Mr. Wall was only partially one of the earnest ones. He fell into a much smaller category, one that included fewer Europeans than Moustafa could count on the fingers of one hand—the truly sympathetic ones.

These Europeans really did want to understand Africans and Africa. They really did want to listen when you spoke about independence. This didn’t mean they understood, but at least they were trying. And it didn’t guarantee that they’d agree with you once they did understand.

Captain Williams appeared to land at least partially in that category. His adoption of Ahmed and his easy manner when speaking with Moustafa proved it. More to the point, this soldier could prove to be a useful ally while they were here—Moustafa had noted a rifle and pistol in the living room—although stuck up on this mountain he would not be able to be at their side at all times.

After dinner, the boys rushed off to make tea and clean the dishes. Moustafa was surprised to see the Little Infidel volunteering to work, something Moustafa was sure he had never done in his entire useless life. He had quickly attached himself to the older boy. Perhaps Ahmed might have a good effect on him.

As long as Faisal didn’t dare call Mr. Wall by his first name. Moustafa would give him a good smacking if he tried.

As the boys clattered around the kitchen, chattering away a mile a minute, Moustafa took the chance to look through Captain Williams’s bookshelf. This had become his habit when entering any European home, or at least those where he was allowed to do such a thing.

Most of the volumes were on mechanical engineering, cartography, and the nature of the desert. There was even an entire volume on the formation and movement of sand dunes. These books, while they didn’t particularly interest Moustafa, intrigued him. There were so many branches of knowledge. He had always focused on history and archaeology, and yet he hungered to know more about the sciences and arts as well. Between working for Mr.

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