it over and over on his palm, without appearing one whit more
advanced in his knowledge than before. At length, after permitting him
fully to exhaust his conjectures, I told him that the Frank doctor had
made no secret in saying that it was composed of _jivch_, or mercury.

'Mercury, indeed!' exclaimed Mirza Ahmak, 'just as if I did not know
that. And so, because this infidel, this dog of an _Isauvi_,[36]
chooses to poison us with mercury, I am to lose my reputation, and my
prescriptions (such as his father never even saw in a dream) are to be
turned into ridicule. Whoever heard of mercury as a medicine? Mercury is
cold, and lettuce and cucumber are cold also. You would not apply ice
to dissolve ice? The ass does not know the first rudiments of his
profession. No, Hajji, this will never do; we must not permit our beards
to be laughed at in this manner.'

He continued to inveigh for a considerable time against his rival; and
would, no doubt, have continued to do so much longer, but he was stopped
by a message from the king, who ordered him to repair forthwith to his
presence. In the greatest trepidation he immediately put himself into
his court dress, exchanged his common black lamb's skin cap for one
wound about with a shawl, huddled on his red cloth stockings, called for
his horse, and, taking the pill with him, went off in great hurry, and
full of the greatest apprehension at what might be the result of the
audience.

CHAPTER XXI

He describes the manner in which the Shah of Persia takes medicine.

The doctor's visit to the king had taken place late in the evening; and
as soon as he returned from it he called for me. I found him apparently
in great agitation, and full of anxiety. 'Hajji,' said he, when I
appeared, 'come close to me'; and having sent every one else out of the
room, he said in a whisper, 'this infidel doctor must be disposed of
somehow or other. What do you think has happened? The Shah has consulted
him; he had him in private conference for an hour this morning, without
my being apprised of it. His majesty sent for me to tell me its result;
and I perceive that the Frank has already gained great influence. It
seems that the king gave him the history of his complaints, of his
debility, of his old asthma, and of his imperfect digestion, but talked
in raptures of the wretch's sagacity and penetration; for merely by
looking at the tongue and feeling the pulse before the infidel was told
what was