It is well said!" answered the pacha, rising from his
musnud or carpet of state: "the moon is up--when all is ready we will
proceed."

In a quarter of an hour the pacha, attended by Mustapha and the armed
slaves as before, again set out upon their perambulations through the
city of Cairo.

They had not walked more than half an hour when they observed two men
sitting at the door of a fruit-shop, at high words with each other. The
pacha held up his finger to Mustapha, as a sign to stop, that he might
overhear their discourse.

"I tell you, Ali, that it is impossible to hear those long stories of
yours without losing one's temper."

"Long stories!" whispered the pacha to Mustapha with delight: "the very
thing!--Shukur Allah! Thanks be to God!"

"And I tell you in reply, Hussan, that yours are ten times worse. You
never have spoken for ten minutes without my feeling an inclination to
salute your mouth with the heel of my slipper. I wish there was any one
who would hear us both, and decide the point."

"That I will," said the pacha, going up to them: "to-morrow I will hear
both your stories, and decide upon the merits of each."

"And who are you?" observed one of the men with surprise.

"His highness the pacha," replied Mustapha, coming forward. Both the
men prostrated themselves, while the pacha directed Mustapha that they
should be brought before him on the following day; and the vizier,
having given them in charge to the slaves who had followed at a
distance, returned home with the pacha, who was delighted at the rich
harvest which he expected to reap from the two people who accused each
other of telling such long stories.

When the divan of the following day had closed, the two men were
summoned into the presence of the pacha.

"I shall now decide upon the merits of your stories," observed he. "Sit
down there both of you, and agree between yourselves which of you will
begin."

"May it please your highness, you will never be able to listen to this
man Ali," observed Hussan: "you had better send him away."

"Allah preserve your highness from all evil," replied Ali, "but more
especially from the talking of Hussan, which is as oppressive as the hot
wind of the desert."

"I have not sent for you to hear you dispute in my presence, but to hear
your stories. Ali, do you begin."

"I do assure your highness," interrupted Hussan, "that you will not
listen to him three minutes."

"I do assure you," retor