316
CAIRO TO DAMASCUS
the iron gate when they got into an argument, and the fuse
went off. The Armenians construed this as a miracle of divine
intervention, and rendered special prayers.
Frustrated, the hoodlum leader now turned to still another
plan. From a large enclosure at the rear of his home not far
from the monastery he set up mortar artillery and pounded
the Vank with two and three-inch shells. The casualties were
many, particularly among the children.
THE THREE "STONES ON HIS HEART . . ."
THERE were three stones on the Patriarch's heart. The
vengeful Latin priest was the first stone. The second stone,
equally heavy, was the renegade elements of his own people—
organized, politically opportunist Armenian hooligans who
had collaborated with Arab rabble under orders of the Mufti's
Arab Higher Committee.
While the Mandate was still in force and hopes of an Arab
victory ran high, the Armenian ruffians placed the Vank in
dire jeopardy. They began by promising the Mufti's henchmen access to the monastery, in order to be able to fire on the
Jewish quarter. The Patriarch dreaded most the thought of
placing the Vank between two fires, making it a battleground.
At one time a delegation called upon him and demanded that
it and the Mufti's Arab followers be permitted to enter, or
else. . . . The Patriarch threatened to throw them out bodily,
whereupon one of the Armenian thugs placed a hand on his
gun holster. Eyewitnesses told me that the enraged Patriarch
roared:
"Mertzourzek! Kill me! If you do, you and your men will be
torn limb from limb before you reach the door!"
At this the Armenians backed out. They returned later, disguised as Arabs, and joined the gangs instigated by the Latin
priest in storming the Vank door. One of the Armenian rene-