Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (129 page)

             
"
I
like
to
draw
what
I
have
seen
and
include
it
in
my
letters
home
to
my
parents,
sir,
"
Harry
replied.
"
And
the
intricacy
of
the
designs
I
have
seen
in
your
palace,
sir,
is
marvellous.
Are
all
your
people
so
creative?
"

             
The
Sultan
laughed,
"
Sadly
no,
though
we
have
many
talented
artists
among
us.
We
are
a
desert
people,
and
our
art
is
to
beautify
our
surroundings.
"
He
clapped
his
hands
and
a
servant
appeared
and
bowed
low.
The
Sultan
addressed
the
man
in
Arabic
and
then
turned
to
Harry
again
as
the
servant
hurried
away.
"
I
will
show
you
something
of
our
art
in
a
moment.
"
To
the
Captain
he
said,
"
Do
you
have
others
like
Mister
Heron
on
your
ship,
Captain?
No
wonder
you
are
so
vigorous
a
nation
if
all
your
young
men
are
so
enquiring.
"

             
Captain
Blackwood
'
s
reply
was
diplomatic
and
he
was
grateful
that
the
servant
returned
midsentence
with
an
exquisitely
carved
cedar
wood
box.
He
had
selected
Harry
for
this
task
precisely
because
the
youth
was
so
observant
and
quick
to
catch
the
niceties
to
be
observed.
He
could
be
relied
upon
to
be
articulate,
polite
and
discrete
in
his
manners
and
behaviour
as
well,
all
in
his
favour
in
the
Captain
'
s
eyes.

             
The
servant
offered
the
box
to
the
Sultan
who
waved
it
toward
Harry.
He
found
himself
staring
in
wonder
at
the
detailed
work
on
the
lid
and
the
mother
of
pearl
inlaid
sides.
It
was
a
wonder
in
itself,
the
intricate
decoration
of
inlaid
mother
of
pearl
gemstones
and
silver
tracery
marvellous
to
behold.

             
"
Take
it
young
man,
and
open
it.
"

             
Carefully
Harry
did
as
he
was
instructed
and
folded
the
lid
back
to
reveal
a
large
and
exquisitely
worked
jewelled
silver
brooch.
He
studied
the
exquisite
piece
in
admiration
and
realised
that
it
was
in
fact
a
turban
clasp
designed
to
hold
some
sort
of
cockade.
Probably,
he
thought,
from
the
fact
that
it
showed
a
pair
of
peacocks
supporting
a
central
bird
with
its
tail
fully
spread,
peacock
feathers.
The
workmanship
was
superb,
every
minute
detail
carefully
wrought
in
the
silver,
and
the
tail
of
the
central
bird
decorated
with
tiny
cut
stones
which
he
realised
must
be
diamonds,
emeralds,
rubies
and
sapphires.
"
It
'
s
beautiful,
sir,
and
must
be
very
precious.
Is
it
the
work
of
a
local
craftsman?
"

             
"
It
was
created
for
my
father
by
a
silversmith
in
the
town
of
Mutrah,
"
the
Sultan
told
him.
"
It
is
one
of
a
kind
and
worn
only
on
occasions
of
state.
"

             
Harry
carefully
closed
the
box
and
returned
it
to
the
waiting
slave,
"
Thank
you
for
allowing
me
to
see
it,
sir,
"
he
said.

             
The
Sultan
laughed.
"
Many
covet
that
and
more,
my
young
friend.
You
must
be
one
of
the
few
who
have
gazed
upon
it
and
thought
only
of
the
beauty
of
the
workmanship.
"
He
said
something
more
to
the
slave,
who
hurried
away
and
returned
a
few
minutes
later
with
the
Agents.
"
And
now
gentlemen,
I
must
ask
your
pardon,
I
have
many
things
to
attend
to.
But
I
trust
that
you
will
succeed
in
your
enterprise
and
find
everything
you
desire.
"
He
bowed
to
the
party
and
said,
"
Peace
be
with
you.
"

             
They
returned
the
bow
and
the
greeting
and
were
escorted
from
the
palace.

***

             
Once
more
in
the
carriage
Captain
Blackwood
asked,
"
How
did
the
negotiations
go?
"

             
Mister
Stewart
shrugged.
"
Delicately.
Though
I
think
we
will
succeed.
"
He
glanced
at
Harry,
busily
looking
at
the
buildings
they
were
passing
and
said,
"
It
seems
the
Sultan
has
taken
a
fancy
to
you
both;
that
at
least
is
in
our
favour.
The
French
have
been
busy
again
and
I
have
word
that
the
Peace
is
definitely
at
an
end.
Bonaparte
is
on
the
march
once
more.
We
will
have
to
watch
our
step
carefully.
There
is
much
at
stake
here.
"