t Cerise, if I had not been
interrupted: as it was, I cut the matter short."

"But, Selim," replied Mustapha, "the pacha is not fond of these sort of
adventures; he likes something much more marvellous. Could you not
embellish a little?"

"How do you mean?"

"Holy prophet! what do I mean!--Why, tell a few lies,--not adhere quite
so much to matter of fact."

"Adhere to matter of fact, vizier!--why, I have not stated a single fact
yet!"

"What! is not all this true?"

"Not one word of it, as I hope to go to heaven!"

"Bismillah!--what, not about Marie and the Convent--and Cerise?"

"All lies from beginning to end."

"And were you never a barber?"

"Never in my life."

"Then why did you make such long apostrophes to the dead Cerise, when
you observed that the pacha was impatient."

"Merely because I was at fault, vizier, and wished to gain time, to
consider what I should say next."

"Selim," replied Mustapha, "you have great talent; but mind that your
next voyage is more wonderful; I presume it will make no difference to
you."

"None whatever; but the pacha is not a man of taste. Now give me my five
pieces, and I'll be off: I'm choked with thirst, and shall not be
comfortable till I have drunk at least a gallon of wine."

"Holy prophet! what a Turk!" exclaimed the vizier, lifting up his hands.
"Here is your money, Kafir;--don't forget to be here to-morrow."

"Never fear me, vizier; your slave lives but to obey you, as we Turks
say."

"We Turks!" muttered the vizier, as he cast his eyes upon the retiring
figure of the renegade. "Well of all the scoundrels--" "Well," muttered
the renegade, who was now out of hearing, "of all the scoundrels--" Whom
they were referring to in their separate soliloquies must be left to the
reader's imagination; for caution prevented either of the parties from
giving vent to the remainder of their thoughts.

Chapter VI

"Mashallah! How wonderful is God! Did the Caliph Haroun ever hear such
stories?" observed the pacha, taking the pipe from his mouth, as he was
indulging in company with Mustapha: "that infidel tells strange
histories of strange countries--What will his mouth open to next?"

"The Shaitan Bacheh, for a son of the devil he still is, although he
wears the turban and bows to Allah, will prove a treasury of amusement
to your sublime highness," replied Mustapha: "but what are the words of
the sage?--'If thou hast gold in thy hazneh, keep it locked and a