at we
should eat in the royal kitchen. This man expressed no little surprise,
that the Sultan should have condescended to converse so long with a
slave.

[Footnote 35: It is certain, that if Sidy Sellem had not wished to
pay his homage to the emperor, (it was fifty years since he had
been at Morocco), and had he not been called to the city by his
own particular business, I would never have seen my native
country; I was too far into the interior parts of the country ever
to have escaped otherwise.]

The next day, the consul called me back before the guard, saying, that
when the king inquired after me, the guard should come and seek me in
his house. I had then appointed for my dwelling, a cave, which had
formerly been the residence of the Spanish ambassador. The emperor,
willing to pay the same attention to the envoy of France, gave him the
same lodging.

This palace, which was the best the emperor had in his disposal, was
nothing else than a long cave dug in the earth, the vault of which was
supported by two ranges of pillars. The descent was by a small stair,
and there was no air but what was procured by small windows, placed on
the head of the vault. The emperor keeps here his tents and war
equipage. In fine, naked walls, spiders webs, bats and rats, were all
that we could see in this dwelling. This building stands in one of the
finest situations in his majesty's gardens, which are adorned with olive
and quince trees, pomegranates and apples. The four high walls which
surround them, gives one the idea of a state prison. It was in this
place that the emperor lodged the ambassadors, or representatives of
powerful foreign nations, and did not provide them with a single piece
of furniture. He contented himself with ordering them a certain quantity
of beef, mutton, poultry, bread and water.

His majesty's own palace consisted of six large courts, surrounded by
walls. The outside of the seraglio resembled a granary. The mosque is
built in the same manner. I know not if the inside is any thing more
agreeable, but there is nothing in its exterior to please the eye. The
city is separated from the palace by masses of clay. The filth and bones
of beasts which have been killed, heaped upon one another, serve, to use
the expression, as a girdle to the capital. These pyramids of nastiness
are ever to be found within the city. They prevail even on the tops of
the houses, and keep out the very light of day