future exactions; and if he made no
display, his rivals in consequence would treat him with contempt. He had
not deigned to consult me for along time, and I had dwindled into a
mere hanger-on; but recollecting the success which had attended my
negotiation with the European doctor, he called me again into his
councils.

'Hajji,' said he, 'what is to be done in this difficult case? I have
received a hint, that the king expects from me a considerable pah-endaz,
and this from the lord high treasurer himself, whose magnificence on
such occasions is the theme of wonder throughout the whole of Persia.
Now, it is impossible that I can rival him. He insisted, that I ought
to spread broad cloth from the entrance of the street to where the king
alights from his horse; that there he should tread upon cloth of gold,
until he reached the entrance of the garden; and from thence, the whole
length of the court to his seat, a carpet of Cashmerian shawls was to
be extended, each shawl increasing in value, until the one upon the
_musnud_, or carpet of state, which should be of an extraordinary price.
Now, you know I am not the man to make such display: I am a _hakim_, one
of the learned: I make no profession of riches. Besides, 'tis plain that
the lord high treasurer only says this, because he has cloth, brocades,
and shawls to dispose of, which he wishes me to take off his hands. No,
it is impossible that I can listen to his extravagant proposals. What
then is to be done?'

I answered, ''Tis true that you are a hakim; but then you are the royal
physician; you hold a situation of great consequence: besides, for the
sake of the lady, your wife, you are bound to do something worthy of
such an alliance. The king will be displeased if you do not receive him
in a manner that will show your sense of the confidence he reposes in
you.'

'Yes,' said the Mirza, 'and that may all be very true, friend Hajji;
still I am but a doctor, and cannot be supposed to have all these
shawls, brocades, and stuffs by me whenever I want them.'

'But what can you do otherwise?' replied I; 'you would not strew the
road with jalap, and spread his majesty's seat with a blister plaster?'

'No,' said he; 'but we might strew flowers, which, you know, are cheap;
and perhaps we might sacrifice an ox, and break plenty of bottles full
of sweetmeats under his horse's feet.[52]--Would not that answer?'

'It is impossible,' exclaimed I; 'if you act thus, the Shah, and you