ter relief. The grand vizier and the
ambassador, it seems, had not been upon good terms for some time,
because the latter was very urgent that some demand of a political
nature might be conceded to him, which the vizier, out of consideration
for the interests of Persia, was obliged to deny; and, therefore,
thinking that this might be a good opportunity of conciliating the
infidel, and of coming to a compromise, he agreed to accept of the
doctor's services. Had I been apprised of the circumstance in time,
I should easily have managed to put a stop to the proceeding; but the
doctor did not lose an instant in administering his medicine, which, I
hear, only consisted of one little white and tasteless pill. From all
accounts, and as ill luck would have it, the effect it has produced is
something quite marvellous. The grand vizier has received such relief
that he can talk of nothing else; he says, 'that he felt the pill
drawing the damp from the very tips of his fingers'; and that now he
has discovered in himself such newness of strength and energy, that he
laughs at his old age, and even talks of making up the complement of
wives permitted to him by our blessed Prophet. But the mischief has not
stopped here; the fame of this medicine, and of the Frank doctor, has
gone throughout the court; and the first thing which the king talked
of at the _selam_ (the audience) this morning, was of its miraculous
properties. He called upon the grand vizier to repeat to him all that he
had before said upon the subject; and as he talked of the wonders
that it had produced upon his person, a general murmur of applause and
admiration was heard throughout the assembly. His majesty then turned to
me, and requested me to explain the reason why such great effects should
proceed from so small a cause, when I was obliged to answer, stooping as
low as I could to hide my confusion, and kissing the earth--"I am your
sacrifice: O king of kings, I have not yet seen the drug which the
infidel doctor has given to your majesty's servant, the grand vizier;
but as soon as I have, I will inform your majesty of what it consists.
In the meanwhile, your humble slave beseeches the Centre of the Universe
to recollect that the principal agent, on this occasion, must be an evil
spirit, an enemy to the true faith, since he is an instrument in the
hands of an infidel; of one who calls our holy Prophet a cheat, and who
disowns the all-powerful decrees of predestination."