e same;
they eat the remains of my dinner, and they receive a coat at the
festival of the _No Ruz_,--what can they want more?' At this moment
entered the Shah's running footman, bearing in his hands a silver tray,
upon which were placed the two partridges that his majesty had presented
to the doctor, and which, in great form, he gave into his hands, who,
rising from his seat, carried the tray to his head, and exclaimed, 'May
the king's kindness never be less! may his wealth increase, and may he
live for ever!'

He then was called upon to make the bearer a present. He sent first five
piastres,[38] which the servant returned with great indignation. He then
sent one tomaun: this also was sent back, until at length in despair
he sent five tomauns, which, it was intimated, was the sum proper to be
given. This disagreeable circumstance dissipated all the pleasure which
such a present had produced, and the Hakim, in his rage, permitted
himself to use such expressions, which, if reported to the king, would
have brought him into considerable trouble. 'A present, indeed!' said
he; 'I wish such presents were in the other world! 'Tis thus we pay the
wages of the king's servants--a set of rapacious rascals, without
either shame or conscience! And the worst of it is, we must pay them
handsomely, or else whenever it happens that I get the bastinado on the
soles of my feet--which come it will--they, who perform the operation,
will show me no mercy. Let me not forget what Saadi says, that you can
no more depend upon the friendship of a king than you can upon the voice
of a child; the former changes on the slightest suspicion, the latter in
the course of a night.'

Upon this reflection the doctor began to be alarmed at what he had said
at the outset of his speech; and, with all the terrors of the felek
before him, he seemed quite reconciled to the loss of his five tomauns.

I found that this would not be the best moment to resume the subject of
my expectations, and therefore reserved it for some future opportunity;
but I had heard enough to settle in my own mind, that I would leave the
'Locman of the age', whenever an opportunity should offer, and for the
present to content myself with being neither dog nor wolf.

[Illustration: Hajji and Zeenab. 14.jpg]

CHAPTER XXIII

He becomes dissatisfied with his situation, is idle, and falls in love.

Discontented with my present lot, and uncertain as to my future
prospects, my day