pupil, not so much by the order which he gave, as by shewing him a
honey-cake, which nobody else saw, handed the chain to Timothy, and
prepared to listen.

'As I observed before,' said the sultan, 'he certainly does seem to
take a vast interest in it himself; and I daresay he understands it:
but as to his elocution, I must say that it seems to me somewhat
inarticulate.' The patriarch was puzzled again, and again he bowed,
lower than before. The Jew chuckled, and whispered something in the
sultan's ear. But Titus was not disconcerted. Falling again on his
knees, he exclaimed: 'Pardon me, your sublime highness, we consider
him a remarkably good reader, an animal of excellent parts, and a
pupil who does us great credit. It is true, as your sublime highness's
discrimination has observed, that his enunciation, even to those who
know the language, may have some appearance of indistinctness, because
he is defective in the vowel-points; but we cannot help it, for all
our books are unpointed. In this, which, indeed, we consider a matter
of little importance, we do not pretend to compete with the Jews, who
teach theirs from pointed books. If your sublime highness ever heard a
bear read more articulately than this one, it must have been one of
theirs; and if you would have your own perfected in that particular,
you must put it into their hands.' The sultan stared at the deacon;
and the Jew eyed him over the sultan's shoulder with fierce alarm. But
the hands of Titus were folded on his breast, and his head was bowed
down on his hands.

'Well,' said the sultan to the patriarch, after a pause, during which
it was obvious that some things were passing through his mind, of
which he said nothing, 'I thank you for the pains you have taken; and
although I cannot say that I quite understand the matter now, yet if I
had known six weeks ago as much as I do at present, I would not have
troubled you. If you are ever in want of any help or protection,
remember, as I shall, that you have obliged me.'

The patriarch bowed. The sultan rose and retired, resolved that his
first business should be to come to a full explanation with his
doctor; and accordingly, a summons for the Israelite was instantly
issued. Very long it seemed to the sultan--although, in fact, it was
only half an hour--before the vizier came to report, that the doctor
was nowhere to be found.

'Well,' said the sultan, 'I do not much wonder at that. I always
thought him a wise