I raised
from the Jew I continually bought coffee and opium, of which I grew
immoderately fond. In the delirium it created I forgot all my
misfortunes, all fear of the future.

"One day, when I had raised my spirits by an unusual quantity of opium, I
was strolling through the camp, sometimes singing, sometimes dancing,
like a madman, and repeating that I was not now Murad the Unlucky. Whilst
these words were on my lips, a friendly spectator, who was in possession
of his sober senses, caught me by the arm, and attempted to drag me from
the place where I was exposing myself. 'Do you not see,' said he, 'those
soldiers, who are firing at a mark? I saw one of them, just now,
deliberately taking aim at your turban; and observe, he is now reloading
his piece.' My ill luck prevailed even at this instant--the only instant
in my life when I defied its power. I struggled with my adviser,
repeating, 'I am not the wretch you take me for; I am not Murad the
Unlucky.' He fled from the danger himself; I remained, and in a few
seconds afterwards a ball reached me, and I fell senseless on the sand.

"The ball was cut out of my body by an awkward surgeon, who gave me ten
times more pain than was necessary. He was particularly hurried at this
time, because the army had just received orders to march in a few hours,
and all was confusion in the camp. My wound was excessively painful, and
the fear of being left behind with those who were deemed incurable added
to my torments. Perhaps, if I had kept myself quiet, I might have
escaped some of the evils I afterwards endured; but, as I have repeatedly
told you, gentlemen, it was my ill fortune never to be able to judge what
was best to be done till the time for prudence was past.

"During the day, when my fever was at the height, and when my orders were
to keep my bed, contrary to my natural habits of indolence, I rose a
hundred times, and went out of my tent in the very heat of the day, to
satisfy my curiosity as to the number of the tests which had not been
struck, and of the soldiers who had not yet marched. The orders to march
were tardily obeyed, and many hours elapsed before our encampment was
raised. Had I submitted to my surgeon's orders, I might have been in a
state to accompany the most dilatory of the stragglers; I could have
borne, perhaps, the slow motion of a litter, on which some of the sick
were transported; but in the evening, when the surgeon came to dress my
woun