n to the store, to
rail once more at the cask containing the body of the Jew. We had long
been on the most friendly terms, and having this night drunk more than
usual, I was incautious enough to say--"Prithee, aga, do not abuse my
poor master any more, for he has been the making of my fortune. I will
tell you a secret now that you are going away--there is not a drop of
wine in my store that has not been flavoured either by him, or by the
slave in the other cask. That is the reason why it is so much better
than other people's."

"How!" exclaimed the aga, who was now almost incapable of speech. "Very
well, rascal Greek! die you shall, like your master. Holy prophet! what
a state for a Mussulman to go to Paradise in--impregnated with the
essence of a cursed Jew!--Wretch! you shall die--you shall die."

He made a grasp at me, and missing his foot, fell on the ground in such
a state of drunkenness as not to be able to get up again. I knew that
when he became sober, he would not forget what had taken place, and that
I should be sacrificed to his vengeance. The fear of death, and the wine
which I had drunk, decided me how to act. I dragged him into an empty
pipe, put the head in, hooped it up, and rolling it into the tier,
filled it with wine. Thus did I revenge my poor master, and relieved
myself from any further molestation on the part of the aga.

* * * * *

"What!" cried the pacha, in a rage, "you drowned a true believer--an aga
of janissaries! Thou dog of a kafir--thou son of Shitan--and dare avow
it! Call in the executioner."

"Mercy! your sublime highness, mercy!" cried the Greek--"Have I not your
promise by the sword of the prophet? Besides, he was no true believer,
or he would not have disobeyed the law. A good Mussulman will never
touch a drop of wine."

"I promised to forgive, and did forgive, the murder of the black slave;
but an aga of janissaries!--Is not that quite another thing?" appealed
the pacha to Mustapha.

"Your highness is just in your indignation--the kafir deserves to be
impaled. Yet there are two considerations which your slave ventures to
submit to your sublime wisdom. The first is, that your highness gave an
unconditional promise, and swore by the sword of the prophet."

"Staffir Allah! what care I for that! Had I sworn to a true believer, it
were something."

"The other is, that the slave has not yet finished his story, which
appears to be interesting."