eception of the Frenchman.
We soon discovered that much was to be got between the rival curs of
uncleanness; and the true object of my mission here is to discover all
that is to be known of these French and English. In this you can help
me."

This proposal I gladly accepted, and went forth to interview a scribe of
the Reis Effendi with whom I had struck up a friendship. He told me that
Boonapoort was indeed a rare and daring infidel, who, from a mere
soldier, became the sultan of an immense nation, and gave the law to all
the Europeans.

"And is there not a tribe of infidels called Ingliz?" I asked.

"Yes, truly. They live in an island, are powerful in ships, and in
watches and broad-cloth are unrivalled. They have a shah, but it is a
farce to call him by that title. The power lies with certain houses full
of madmen, who meet half the year round for the purposes of quarrelling.
Nothing can be settled in the state, be it only whether a rebellious aga
is to have his head cut off and his property confiscated, or some such
trifle, until these people have wrangled. Let us bless Allah and our
Prophet that we are not born to eat the miseries of the poor English
infidels, but can smoke our pipes in quiet on the shores of our own
peaceful Bosphorus!"

I returned to my ambassador full of the information I had acquired;
daily he sent me in search of fresh particulars, and before long I felt
able to draw up the history of Europe that the Shah had ordered Mirza
Ferouz to provide. So well pleased was the ambassador with my labours,
that he announced his intention of taking me back to Persia and
continuing me in Government employ. To this I readily agreed, knowing
that, with the protection of men in office, I might show myself in my
own country with perfect safety.

On out return to Tehran we found an English ambassador negotiating a
treaty, the French having gone away unsuccessful. Owing to the knowledge
I had acquired of European affairs when at Constantinople, I was much
employed in these transactions with the infidels, and when I gained the
confidence of the grand vizier himself, destiny almost as much as
whispered that the buffetings of the world had taken their departure
from me.

The negotiations reached a difficult point, and threatened to break
down; neither the Persians nor the infidels would give way. I was sent
by the grand vizier on a delicate mission to the English ambassador. I
prevailed. I returned to the grand