shman, what have you to say?" Rodoan Aga, a fat old Mussulman, and
one of the principal contractors for provisioning the troops of Mohammed
Ali and the pilgrims of the Damascus Hadj in their passage, through the
Desert, opened the case.

Rodoan Aga said, that the much-esteemed Persian merchant Ibrahim of
Hamadan, called Sishman, had been suddenly compelled to visit Damascus, in
order to secure some money in danger of falling into the hands of the
rebel sheikhs, and that he had left the Frank bazerguian, or merchant, in
charge of his business and his magazines at Gaza. The keys of the
magazines and the letter of instructions were in the hands of the Frank,
and he, Rodoan, and several others present, held orders on the Frank both
for the payment and the receipt of various sums of money and bales of
goods. The letter written by Ibrahim to Sidney was now read before the
divan, and each man offered his remarks on it. All agreed that Sidney was
thereby named the lawful agent of Ibrahim, and that he could not refuse
the trust confided to him.

In vain the Englishman declared he was no merchant, and explained that
Ibrahim Sishman had decamped with his bill on Beyrout. In vain he
solicited Hafiz Bey to give him the means of continuing his journey to
Beyrout, where he possessed the means of paying every expense he might
incur. In vain, too, he offered to give his claim on Ibrahim either to
Hafiz Bey or to Rodoan. It was whispered about by his enemy the Consul
Elias that he was agent of the British Government, sent to purchase
provisions for an invading army; and Hafiz feared to allow him to depart
until he received precise instructions on the subject from Ibrahim Pasha
himself. He consequently recommended Sidney to wait a day or two for news
from Ibrahim Sishman; and concerning his departure he replied only,
"_Bakalum, we shall see_."

The discussion at the divan of Hafiz Bey lasted all the morning. Rodoan
Aga and the Moslems of Gaza retired to dine and take their mid-day nap,
while Sidney retired to his room to meditate on his embarrassed position.
Had he possessed a couple of horses, or money enough to purchase them, he
would, without a moment's hesitation, have put his foot in the stirrup and
left Gaza, its consuls, and its governor behind, and trusted to his good
fortune for finding his way to Jerusalem. But his empty purse rendered
every project of flight impossible. His wits being now sharpened by his
misfortunes, he easi