y rate, I might act as an impostor. So, in
the dim light, I dressed myself in the chief priest's clothes, and
repaired to his house.

I was there received by two young slaves, who paid me attentions that
would at most times have delighted me; but just then they filled me with
apprehension, and I was heartily glad when I got rid of the slaves and
fastened the door. I then explored the chief priest's pockets, and found
therein two letters. One was from the chief executioner--a notorious
drunkard--begging permission to take unlimited wine for his health's
sake. The other was from a priest at the mollah's village saying that he
had extracted from the peasantry one hundred tomauns (L80), which would
be delivered to a properly qualified messenger.

To the chief executioner I wrote cheerfully granting the permission he
sought, and suggesting that the loan of a well-caparisoned horse would
not be amiss. I wrote a note to the priest requesting that the money be
delivered to the bearer, our confidential Hajji Baba. Next morning I
rose early, and made certain alterations in the chief priest's clothes
so as to avoid detection. I went to the chief executioner's house,
presented the letter, and received the horse, upon which I rode hastily
away to the village. Having obtained the hundred tomauns I escaped
across the frontier to Bagdad.

_IV.--Hajji and the Infidels_

On reaching Bagdad, I sought the house of my old master, Osman Aga, long
since returned from his captivity, and through his assistance, and with
my hundred tomauns as capital, I was able to set up in business as a
merchant in pipe-sticks, and, having made myself as like as possible to
a native of Bagdad, I travelled in Osman Aga's company to
Constantinople. Having a complaint to make, I went to Mirza Ferouz,
Persian ambassador on a special mission to Constantinople.

"Your wit and manner are agreeable," he said to me; "you have seen the
world and its business; you are a man who can make play under another's
beard. Such I am in want of."

"I am your slave and your servant," I replied.

"Lately an ambassador came from Europe to Tehran," said Mirza Ferouz,
"saying he was sent, with power to make a treaty, by a certain
Boonapoort, calling himself Emperor of the French. He promised, that
Georgia should be reconquered for us from the Russians, and that the
English should be driven from India. Soon afterwards the English
infidels in India sent agents to impede the r