"

"Holy Prophet! what do I mean!--Why, tell a few lies,--not adhere quite
so much to matter of fact."

"Adhere to matter of fact, vizier!--why, I have not stated a single fact
yet!"

"What! is not all this true?"

"Not one word of it, as I hope to go to Heaven!"

"Bismillah!--what not about Marie and the convent--and Cerise?"

"All lies from beginning to end."

"And were you never a barber?"

"Never in my life."

"Then why did you make such long apostrophes to the dead Cerise, when
you observed that the pacha was impatient?"

"Merely because I was at fault, vizier, and wished to gain time, to
consider what I should say next."

"Selim," replied Mustapha, "you have great talent; but mind that your
next voyage is more wonderful; I presume it will make no difference to
you."

"None whatever; but the pacha is not a man of taste. Now give me my
five pieces, and I'll be off: I'm choked with thirst, and shall not be
comfortable till I have drunk at least a gallon of wine."

"Holy Prophet! what a Turk!" exclaimed the vizier; lifting up his hands.
"Here is your money, kafir;--don't forget to be here to-morrow."

"Never fear me, vizier; your slave lives but to obey you, we Turks say."

"We Turks!" muttered the vizier, as he cast his eyes upon the retiring
figure of the renegade. "Well of all the scoundrels--"

"Well," muttered the renegade, who was now out of hearing, "of all the
scoundrels--"

Whom they were referring to in their separate soliloquies must be left
to the reader's imagination; for caution prevented either of the parties
from giving vent to the remainder of their thoughts.

VOLUME ONE, CHAPTER SIX.

"Mashallah! How wonderful is God! Did the caliph Haroun ever hear such
stories?" observed the pacha, taking the pipe from his mouth, as he was
indulging in company with Mustapha: "that infidel tells strange
histories of strange countries--What will his mouth open to next?"

"The Shaitan bacheh, for a son of the devil he still is, although he
wears the turban and bows to Allah, will prove a treasury of amusement
to your sublime highness," replied Mustapha: "but what are the words of
the sage?--`If thou hast gold in thy hazneh, keep it locked, and add
thereto; thus shalt thou become rich.'"

"They are the words of wisdom," replied the pacha.

"Then may I advise your highness to walk out this evening in search of
more, and not exhaust that which is in your possession?"

"Wallah thaib!