thing more nor less
than a thief, and, if caught, should duly be blown from the mouth of
a mortar. But then, on the other hand, who made me so? Surely, if
_takdeer_ (destiny) will work such wonderful effects, it can be no fault
of mine. I sought not the death of the mollah bashi; but if he chooses
to come and breathe his last in my lap, and if, whether I will or no,
I am to be taken for him, then it is plain that fate has made me his
vakeel, his representative; and whatever I do so long as I remain in
that character is lawful--then his clothes are my clothes, his hundred
tomauns are my hundred tomauns, and whatever I have written in his name
is lawfully written.'

Revived by these conclusions, I again mounted and proceeded to the
nearest village, to inquire where the property of the chief priest was
situated, and if a person of the name of Abdul Kerim was known in the
neighbourhood. As if the dice were determined to keep turning up in my
favour, I found that the very next village, about one parasang distant,
was the one in question, and Abdul Kerim a priest of that name who
superintended the interests and collected the revenues of his deceased
master. 'Ho,' said I, 'a priest! I must change the tone of the letter
and insert his proper titles.' I immediately sat clown on the ground,
taking the inkstand from my pocket, and cutting off a slip of paper from
the roll in my girdle I framed my note anew, and then proceeded on my
errand, determined, if I obtained possession of the hundred tomauns, to
take the shortest road to the nearest Persian frontier.

[Illustration: Hajji leaves the village hurriedly after collecting the
money. 33.jpg]

CHAPTER LIX

Hajji Baba does not shine in honesty--The life and adventures of the
mollah Nadan

I put on an air of consequence suited to the fine horse which I bestrode
as soon as I reached Seidabad (for that was the name of the village),
and rode through its gates with such a look of authority that the
peasants who saw me did not fail to make very low inclinations of the
head.

'Where is Abdul Kerim?' said I, as I dismounted, and gave my horse to
one of the bystanders.

In a moment every one was in motion to find him, and he very soon
appeared.

'I am come,' said I (after the usual salutations), 'on the part of the
chief priest, upon certain business well known to you'; and straight I
delivered him my note.

Abdul Kerim had a piercing eye, which did not at all suit me,