The Dey's countenance became grave.

"I refer," continued the consul, "to those unfortunate slaves who
recently attempted to escape, and are now lying in chains condemned to
be bastinadoed, thrown on the hooks, and otherwise tortured to death."

"How!" exclaimed the Dey, frowning darkly, while a flush of anger
covered his face, "can you plead for slaves who have not only rebelled
and fled, but who have disabled two of my janissaries, and some of
whom--especially their leader Castello and the young Sicilian Mariano--
are so turbulent as to be an absolute nuisance to their guards?"

"Your highness is aware," answered the consul respectfully, "that
British ideas in regard to slavery and all connected with it are widely
different from those entertained by Algerines, and I do not presume to
pass an opinion on the sentences pronounced on men who are held guilty
of having violated your laws. I merely plead that you will extend to
them the royal prerogative of mercy--especially to two of their number,
Francisco and Mariano."

"On what ground do you ask mercy for these?" demanded Achmet sternly.

"On the ground that courageous and worthy men, although tempted to rebel
in order to regain their liberty, are not deserving of death; that the
Portuguese girl your Highness was so generous as to send me, and who was
captured along with them, has interested me deeply in their history, and
also on the ground that one is the father and the other the brother of
your scrivano Lucien Rimini."

"Indeed!" exclaimed the Dey in surprise, "Lucien never told me that,
although his own hand made out the order for their execution!"

"That," answered the consul, with a smile, "is because I advised him to
leave the pleading of their cause to me."

"Believing, no doubt," returned the Dey, with a laugh, "that your powers
of persuasion are superior to his. Well, Monsieur le Consul, you may be
right; nevertheless, let me tell you that short though the time be in
which Lucien has been my scrivano, there is that in his modest air and
ready will, as well as his talent, which constitutes a sufficient plea
to induce me to pardon his relations."

"It rejoices me," said the consul, "to find that, as I expected, your
highness's--"

"Yes, yes; say no more on that head," interrupted the Dey. "Here!
Lucien," he added, calling aloud to his secretary, who, clad in superb
Oriental costume, appeared at the door which led into his office, "make
out an orde