g interest this disclosure has
created throughout the civilised world, has been anxious to complete
the record by supplementing the SHAH's account of the interview,
with the SULTAN's own version. This was, at the outset, difficult.
Obstacles were thrown in the way, but they were overcome by the
pertinacity and ingenuity of Our Representative, who at last found
himself seated with the SULTAN on the very dais from which SHAH
LEFEVRE had conferred with his Imperial Majesty whilst other of the
forty guests, "including the Austrian Ambassador," looked on, green
with envy.

"It's a curious thing," said the SULTAN, laying down a book he had
been reading when Our Representative entered, "that, when you were
announced, I had just come upon a reference by your great Poet to your
still greater Statesman. You know the line in Lockandkey Hall,--

"'Oh the dreary, drear LEFEVRE! Oh the barren, barren SHAW!'"

"That," Our Representative writes, "is not precisely the line as I
remember it; but I make it a rule never to correct a SULTAN."

Accordingly His Majesty proceeded: "And so, my good Cousin, _Mr.
Punch_, wants to know all about this interview, the _bruit_ of which
has shaken the Universe. His wishes are commands to me. In the first
place, I will tell you (though this is not for publication), that it
was by the merest accident I had the advantage of knowing your great
countryman. I heard there had come to Constantinople one FREDERICK
HARRISON, head of a sect called the Positivists. I am, you know, in
my way, and within the limits of my kingdom, one of the most absolute
Positivists of the age. I wanted to see the English apostle, and told
them to ask him to dinner. Somehow things got mixed up, and, at the
preliminary morning call, the SHAH LEFEVRE walked in. Had never heard
of him before, but gathered from CHAKIR PACHA, who had been talking to
WAHAN EFFENDI, who, had seen WOODS PACHA, who had spent an hour with
VAMBERY, upon whom SHAH LEFEVRE had called, that the SHAH was really
the mainspring of the Liberal Party in England, GLADSTONE being merely
figure-head, HARCOURT in his pay, and CHAMBERLAIN suffering in exile
under his displeasure. Allah is Good! Here was a chance thrown into
my hands. I forgot all about FREDERICK HARRISON; told CHAKIR PACHA and
WAHAN EFFENDI to entertain the SHAH in the ante-chamber with coffee
and cigarettes, drawing him out on Armenia and Egypt. Meanwhile I
crept under the sofa, and heard every word