<^t^t^<^C^C^C^C^e^t^t^<^<^(^ AMANULLAH No, said he, impatiently* No passports could be signed or visa-ed during this week of celebration. It was against the law. In any case, he was having a much-needed holiday. His official stamps were at the office, he could not inspect my passport except at the office, and he was not going to bother to open the office for my benefit. I must come again in a week. Almost desperate, I went away. My Indian adviser listened with awe and solemnity. Then : " Perhaps/' he said, " you did not persuade him properly. . . ." I went in again, giving another rupee to the servant. The same official came in once more, still sleepy and somewhat aggrieved. Perhaps, I said, the office would accommodate itself if I gave a small sum of money for the upkeep of its admirable work, expenses of which must be heavy. . . . The note passed. My pass- port was signed, there and then, with a pencil. But it was the first time I had bribed a senior official of any nation. There was a further difficulty about transport. The driver who had brought me up had given his address, and had expressed his willingness to take me back to Peshawar any day I wished. We went to the serai where he was known. This time, they had never heard of the man. Though I had seen him greeted there with the enthusiasm due to an old friend, this time they could not recall him, nor his car, nor his coming. Even five rupees did not help memory. They were sorry. They were unacquainted with the driver. Nor could they suggest another driver. There were no cars in Kabul willing to undertake the journey. I would have to wait till after the great week of celebration. What was a week ? 188