and found him expiring; as before, he
had received a wound on the wrong side, a spear having transfixed him
between the shoulders. "Tell how I died like a brave man," said he,
"and tell your mother that I am gone to Paradise." From an intimate
knowledge of my honoured father's character, in the qualities of thief,
liar, and coward, although I promised to deliver the message, _I very
much doubted these facts_.

That your highness may understand how it was that I happened to be left
alone, and alive on the field of battle, I must inform you, that I
inherited a considerable portion of my father's courageous temper, and
not much liking the snapping of the pistols in my face, I had thrown
myself down on the ground, and had remained there very quietly
preferring to be trampled on, rather than interfere with what was going
on above.

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"By the sword of the Prophet! there is one fact--you were a very great
coward," observed the pacha.

"Among my other doubts, your highness, I certainly have some doubts as
to my bravery."

"By the beard of the pacha, I have no doubts on the subject," observed
Mustapha.

"Without attempting to defend my courage, may I observe to your
highness, that it was a matter of perfect indifference to me whether the
sultan or the pacha was victorious; and I did not much admire hard
blows, without having an opportunity of putting a few sequins in my
pocket. I never knew of any man, however brave he might be, who fought
for love of fighting, or amusement; we all are trying in this world to
get money; and that is, I believe, the secret spring of all our
actions?"

"Is that true, Mustapha?" inquired the pacha.

"May it please your sublime highness, if not the truth, it is not very
far from it. Proceed Hudusi."

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The ideas which I have ventured to express before your sublime highness,
were running in my mind, as I sat down among the dead and dying, and I
thought how much better off were the pacha's soldiers than those of our
sublime sultan, who had nothing but hard blows, while the pacha's
soldiers received thirty sequins for the head of every one of our corps
of janissaries; and one idea breeding another, I reflected that it would
be very prudent, now that the pacha appeared to be gaining the
advantage, to be on the right side. Having made up my mind