him that he had been ill, and made him laugh heartily at his story of
how the rascally innkeeper had brought a dead camel to life and restored
stolen goods in the space of one night.

"And now, good darwan," he said, "thinkest thou I might show some of my
wares to your noble master? My business has halted while I was sick, and
I must needs sell somewhat lest I starve."

"Truly, my friend, it is an ill time. The great man has no money; we,
his poor creatures who are not worthy to unloose his shoes, get no
wages, and our khansaman sells more and more of our chattels day by day
to get the wherewithal to buy our poor food. And I fear me, even if the
illustrious one were as rich as Nadir Shah of old renown, it would be
vain to approach him now. But a little while ago there came a chaprasi
with news that his regiment had been rioting. Indeed (and this khabar
was whispered in my ear) the men tried last night to gain some little
sustenance from the plunder of some new men who have come--woe upon
them!--to this sorely crowded city. And by ill-hap they had the worse of
the encounter; verily these new-comers sting like scorpions; and their
leader, one Asadullah, has gone to the palace to complain to the
Protector of the Poor, our illustrious king. The great one is even now
clothing himself in haste to go also to the palace and acquaint the
Illustrious with the truth of the matter. And so it is an ill time, as I
said; neither his pocket nor his temper suits with business of thy
sort."

"Hai! how wretched is my lot!" said Ahmed.

"Here is the great one's horse," said the darwan, as a sais led the
animal from the courtyard and began to walk him up and down. "And behold
the great one himself."

He rose from his squatting posture at the door as Minghal came out. The
subahdar was clearly in a state of great annoyance. He kicked aside the
small bundle which Ahmed had laid on the ground, and bade him betake
himself to Jehannum.

"Merciful one, be not wroth with the meanest of thy slaves," said Ahmed,
salaaming humbly. "If I might but be allowed to see thy face at some
more convenient season! I have wares of great beauty and worth, even
such as might delight the eyes of the hazur himself and----"

"Bas, bas!" cried Minghal. "Get thee hence and trouble me not."

He called to the sais to bring up his horse.

"There is a shawl woven most marvellously with gold threads," Ahmed
said, with an air of the greatest deference. "If the mag