cha! but
doubt not the fidelity of thy slave."

The pacha seemed pacified. "What is all this but bosh, nothing?" said
he, rising and quitting the apartment.

"Bosh!" muttered Mustapha. "The cursed old hag! I know better--there is
no time to lose--I must be quick. When will that renegade return from
Stamboul? It is time." And Mustapha, with a gloomy countenance, quitted
the divan.

Chapter XXII

Although the pacha, with the usual diplomacy of a Turk, had, so far from
expressing his displeasure against Mustapha, treated him with more than
usual urbanity, he had not forgotten the advice of the old woman.
Suspicion once raised was not to be allayed, and he had consulted with
his favourite wife, Fatima. A woman is a good adviser in cases of this
description. The only danger which could threaten the pacha was from the
imperial court at Stamboul; for the troops were devoted to him, and the
people of the country had no very serious cause of complaint. By the
advice of the favourite, the pacha sent as a present to Mustapha, a
young and handsome Greek girl, but she was a spy in the service of the
favourite, and had been informed that the vizier had been doomed. She
was to discover, if she could, whether there was any intercourse between
the renegade, who commanded the fleet, and the vizier, as from that
quarter alone danger could be anticipated. The Greek had not been a week
in the harem of Mustapha, before she ascertained more than was
sufficient. The fleet had been sent to Constantinople, with presents to
the sultan from the pacha, and its return was hourly expected.

It was on the afternoon of this eventful day that the fleet hove in
sight, and lay becalmed a few miles in the offing. Mustapha hastened to
report it to the pacha, as he sat in his divan, hearing complaints, and
giving judgment, although not justice. Now when the pacha heard that the
fleet had returned, his heart misgave him, and the more so, as Mustapha
was more obsequious and fawning than ever. He retired for a short time
from the divan, and hastened to his favourite, Fatima.

"Pacha," said she, "the fleet has arrived, and Mustapha has already
communicated with the renegade. Depend upon it you are lost, if you do
not forestall them. Lose no time. But stop," said she, "do not alarm the
renegade by violence to Mustapha. To-morrow the fleet will anchor, and
if there is mischief, it will not arrive until to-morrow--but this
evening, you will as usual