every one to depart from before him except myself.

He made me sit, and then in a low voice said, 'Hajji, I have long wished
to speak to you. Those who compose my suite, between you and me, do
not possess the sort of understanding I require. 'Tis true, they are
Persians, and are endowed with more wit than all the world beside; but
in affairs of the _dowlet_ (the state), they are nothing, and rather
impede than forward the business upon which I have been sent. Now,
praise be to Allah! I see that you are not one of them. You are much of
a man, one who has seen the world and its business, and something may
come from out of your hands. You are a man who can make play under
another's beard, and suck the marrow out of an affair without touching
its outside. Such I am in want of, and if you will devote yourself to
me, and to our Shah, the King of Kings, both my face as well as your own
will be duly whitewashed; and, by the blessings of our good destinies,
both our heads will touch the skies.'

'Whatever is of my strength,' replied I, 'is at your service. I am your
slave and your servant, and I myself will place my own ear into your
hand. Order and command me: by my head and eyes, I am ready.'

'Perhaps you have heard it reported in the world,' said he, 'that the
object of my mission is to buy women slaves for the Shah, to see them
instructed in dancing, music, and embroidery, and to purchase spangled
silks and other luxuries for the royal harem; but that is of course
a blind for the multitude. I am not an ambassador for such miserable
purposes: no, my business is of greater import; and our king, whose
penetration is as searching as lightning itself, does not select men to
transact his affairs without very substantial reasons. He has chosen me,
and that's enough. Now hearken to what I shall tell you.

'But a few months ago an ambassador from Europe arrived at the Gate of
Empire, Tehran, and said he was sent by a certain Boonapoort, calling
himself Emperor of the French nation, to bring a letter and presents to
the Shah. He exhibited full powers, by which his words were to be
looked upon as his master's, and his actions as his actions; and he
also affirmed, that he had full instructions to make a treaty. He held
himself very high indeed, and talked of all other nations of Franks as
dirt under his feet, and not worth even a name. He promised to make the
Russians restore their conquests in Georgia to us, to put the Shah in
pos