ion,
according to the value of what he receives, in choosing his halting
stations. Most of those in high offices, even the viziers, make him
annual gifts, in case the day of the Shah's displeasure should come, And
then they would hope to be dealt with gently by him. In short, wherever
a stick is to be brandished, wherever punishment is to be inflicted,
there the chief executioner levies his dues; and they descend in a
gradual measure from him to the lowest of his officers. Before I was a
naib, and when I was called upon to lay the bastinado on some wretched
culprit, many is the time that my compassion has been moved by a direct
appeal to my purse; and then, instead of beating the sufferer's feet, I
struck the felek upon which they rested. It was but last year that the
principal secretary of state incurred the wrath of the Shah. He was
ordered to receive the bastinado, and, by way of distinction, a small
carpet was spread for him to lie upon: I and another were the operators,
whilst two more held the felek. When we were taking the shawl and
cap from his head, his girdle and outer coat (which became our lawful
perquisites), he whispered to us, low enough not to be heard by the Shah
(for this was all done in his presence), "By the mothers that bore
you, do not eat me much! I'll give you each ten tomauns if you will not
strike me." His heels were tripped up, his feet placed in the noose,
whilst his back reposed on the carpet; and then we set to work. For our
own sakes, we were obliged to start fair, and we laid on until he roared
sufficiently; and then, having ably made him increase his offer until he
had bid up to any price we wished, we gradually ceased beating his feet,
and only broke our sticks over the felek. Much ingenuity was displayed
on both sides, in order that the Shah might not discover that there
was any understanding between us. His bidding was interwoven with his
groans, something after this manner:--"_Ahi aman! aman!_ For pity's
sake, by the soul of the Prophet! twelve tomauns.--By the love of your
fathers and mothers! fifteen tomauns.--By the king's beard! twenty
tomauns.--By all the Imams! by all the prophets! thirty, forty, fifty,
sixty, hundred, thousand,--anything you want." When it was over, we
soon found that his generosity had diminished quite as rapidly as it had
before increased, and we were satisfied to receive what he first offered
to us, which he was obliged to give, fearing if a similar misfortun