ick Mirza, looking more like
a corpse than a living body. When I had first known him he was a
remarkably handsome man, with a fine aquiline nose, oval face, an
expressive countenance, and a well-made person. He had now passed the
meridian of life, but his features were still fine, and his eye full of
fire. As soon as he saw he recognised me, and the joy which he felt at
the meeting broke out in a great animation of his features, and in the
thousand exclamations so common to a Persian's lips.

'See,' said he, 'what a fortunate destiny mine is, that at a moment
when I thought the angel of death was about to seize me for his own, the
angel of life comes and blows a fresh existence into my nostrils.'

After his first transports were over, I endeavoured to make him explain
what was the nature of his complaint, and how it had hitherto been
treated. I saw enough by his saffron hue, that bile was the occasion of
his disorder; and, as I had had great experience in treating it during
my stay in Persia, I did not hesitate to cheer up his hopes by an
assurance of being able to relieve him.

'What can I say?' said he. 'I thought at first that I had been struck
with the plague. My head ached intensely, my eyes became dim, I had a
pain in my side, and a nauseous taste in my mouth, and expected to die
on the third day; but no, the symptoms still continue, and I am alive.
As soon as I arrived here, I enquired for a physician, and was told
there were two practitioners in the town, a Jew and a Frank. Of course I
chose the latter; but 'tis plain, that my evil star had a great deal to
say in the choice I made. I have not yet been able to discover to what
tribe among the Franks he belongs,--certainly he is not an Englishman.
But a more extraordinary ass never existed in this world, be his nation
what it may. I began by telling him that I was very, very ill. All he
said in answer, with a grave face, was "_Mashallah!_ Praise be to God!"
and when, in surprise and rage, I cried out, "But I shall die, man!"
with the same grave face, he said, "_Inshallah!_ Please God!" My
servants were about to thrust him from the room, when they found that
he knew nothing of our language excepting these two words, which he had
only learnt to misapply. Supposing that he still might know something
of his profession, I agreed to take his medicine; but I might have saved
myself the trouble, for I have been daily getting worse.'

Here the Mirza stopped to take brea