The Snake Catcher’s Daughter

Начало книги

One evening when Owen got home he found a girl in his bed.

“Hello!” he said. “What’s this?”

“I’m a present,” she said.

“Who from?”

“We can go into details later.”

“A member of the British Administration is not allowed to accept presents,” he said, stuffily.

And not altogether honestly. For the Mamur Zapt, Head of Cairo’s Secret Police, was not, strictly speaking, a member of the British Administration but a member of the Egyptian Administration; and whereas the British, under Cromer’s strait-laced regime had not been allowed to accept bribes, the Khedive’s servants had always taken a more relaxed view.

“All the world knows about your Zeinab,” said the girl, pouting.

Owen rather hoped that all the world did not know about Zeinab and was more than a little surprised that the girl did.

“Ah, yes, but she is not a present.”

“I don’t need to stay a present,” said the girl.

“Off you go!”

“Like this?” demanded the girl, pulling the sheet back. Underneath she was completely naked.

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