`` go and fetch hasan mustafa pasha , '' laurence said to one of their own guards , a fellow he recognized , and repeated the name a few times over , the man glancing reluctantly at the others ; abruptly one of the stranger eunuchs , a tall and imposing man in a high turban , snow-white against his dark skin and adorned by a sizable ruby set in gold , spoke commandingly to the guard ; at this the mute at last nodded and set off down the stairs , hurrying away towards the rest of the palace grounds .