to throw men into the mesmeric state. The first man winked
very much, and smiled a little, but did not fall asleep.

"`Ha!' cried the Sultan, on seeing this, `thou art deceiving me, it
seems!'

"`Not so, your highness,' replied the shoemaker; `it is not every man
who can be thus subdued. Permit me to go on, and I will find one who is
susceptible.'

"So the shoemaker went on and made the passes and signs which were
necessary, until at last he found one who at once fell asleep, and then,
one after another, they all fell asleep, and no one could awake them
except the shoemaker! I could not have believed this, your highness,"
said Hadji Baba, "if I had not been told it by the shoemaker himself,
who also taught me the mysterious power of thus throwing men in to
sleep, which in some languages is signified by the term `throwing dust
into their eyes.'"

"How!" exclaimed the Dey, "dost mean to tell me that thou couldst really
do as that shoemaker did, and put my guards to sleep before mine eyes?"

"Your highness's slave presumes to answer emphatically--yes."

"By the beard of the Prophet, thou shalt prove it," said the Dey, whose
curiosity was aroused.--"Ho, there! order the guard into my presence."

"Hold!" exclaimed Hadji Baba; "they must appear absolutely unarmed. In
order that men should be brought under the influence of this power, it
is necessary that they should divest themselves not only of all ordinary
weapons, but also of the defensive armour of common-sense. That is the
reason why the exercise of the power is so difficult. But, once
accomplished, the effect is unquestionable and very amazing."

"Let them leave their arms behind them, then," said the Dey; "only see
that two are left to keep the gates."

"Would it not be well," suggested Baba humbly, "that, considering the
recent riots, more than two should be left to guard the palace gates?
It is true, the more men that are brought under my influence the more
likely is my influence to be effectual, but these chaouses might for a
few minutes supply their place."

"Be it so!--Thou hearest?" said the Dey, turning to his executioners.

The chaouses went out as the men of the guard entered unarmed, and drew
up in a line before the Dey.

"Now, show thy power, Hadji Baba."

"Your highness will, I trust, have patience for a few minutes," said
Baba, observing that the clock still indicated ten minutes short of the
appointed hour, "while I perform the curio