The Ajuzan
get into trouble or be killed in the Ajuzan's district, and
cause international questions afterwards.
The Ajuzan's difficulty was, that, of all these excellent
reasons, the first two could not be mentioned at all with
politeness, and the last two excluded each other. He asked
whether I was not afraid to travel so unprotected in the hills.
" You must have slept out at least two nights in the
wilderness," he said.
" Yes, indeed," said I. " One could not dream of doing
it in Iraq: but here I was told, and I have found it true, that
one can travel with complete safety anywhere"
" Iraq," said the Ajuzan, falling neatly, " Iraq is a most
uncivilized country, but here the Shah has done such
wonders that robbery in our land is unknown."
" So I was told," said L " And it is delightful to come
here and be able to travel so freely. People spread such
alarming reports. The Iraqis talk of the Pusht-i-Kuh as if
there were only bandits; but I could see by the way your
police went round that you have the country in hand."
" Absolutely," said the Ajuzan. " All the same," he added
rather lamely, noticing perhaps that he was not getting
where he meant to, " all the same it is risky for a lady,
alone____"
" I have travelled in many countries," I remarked truth-
fully enough, " and never found it risky. The study of
history necessarily leads one into lonely places."
" Is it true," he asked, " that you have a skull in your
saddle-bag as they told me?"
I admitted this peculiarity, and produced the object, which
the Ajuzan examined with a puzzled interest. He had
been told, I afterwards heard, that I found bones of pure
gold in the graves, but he was an intelligent man, and was
evidently discounting a number of legends about me as