The Emperor's Elephant(124)

‘I’m relying on Jaffar’s interest in our bestiary as a text book for Prince Abdallah. I’ve just spoken with Musa. He confirms that the book is in the royal library and has agreed to update the entry about elephants before it gets sent to the vizier.’

‘What’s Musa going to add?’ Osric asked, puzzled.

I quoted the sentences I had so carefully composed to be written below the illustration of the two green-painted elephants, with their large, doleful eyes, white curving tusks, and their trunks about to touch. ‘It is claimed that some elephants are white. The elephant sent by Caliph Haroun al Rashid as a gift for Carolus, King of the Franks, was reported by its escort to have been white.’

Slowly a smile began to spread across Osric’s thin face. ‘Prince Abdallah is sure to come across this claim in his lessons with Jaffar. He will demand to know much more about this white elephant, just as he did about the rukh.’

I returned his smile. ‘And Jaffar will send for Abram, and then our former dragoman is in a fix. He may try to bluff it out. He can say that the elephant for Carolus really was white. And you and I both know what happens next . . .’

Osric finished for me: ‘The Caliph launches another animal-catching expedition, this time to find and bring back a white elephant. Who better to be given the task than Abram?’ He laughed.

I beamed at Osric, all awkwardness between us forgotten. ‘More likely Abram’s lie will be exposed. It’s easy enough for Jaffar to check on the colour of the elephant that was sent. It will be found that Abram interfered with the Caliph’s foreign policy. The “blade of his vengeance”, the palace executioner, awaits.’

‘You said you needed my help?’

‘I think Abram was being truthful when he said he never wanted to bring about our deaths, only to wreck the embassy. So, if he does risk execution, can you ask Zaynab to plead for clemency? Try to get his punishment reduced to a ban on his ever carrying on any business within the caliphate.’

‘Would that be enough?’ Osric asked.

‘It will put an end to his ambition to make a commercial fortune in the caliphate.’

Osric shook his head in admiration. ‘Sigwulf, you really should stay on in Baghdad. You seem admirably adapted to the court politics.’

I stepped forward and embraced my friend. ‘We lost an aurochs and never found a griffin nor a rukh, but we made sure that Carolus and Haroun will continue to exchange embassies. Whenever one leaves Baghdad, send me your news – and Zaynab’s.’

Osric turned aside and picked up a thin sheaf of papers. ‘You’d better keep these,’ he said, placing our pages from the Oneirokritikon in my hand. ‘I can always consult Artimedorus’s writings in the royal library. But when you get back to Aachen, you may find yourself needing every signpost in an uncertain future.’