words, but he only grinned as he
bowed, being too much in earnest to smile.

"Do you forget," he continued, "that I am in disgrace? I have served
the Turk faithfully all my life, and now I am shelved at the very time
my services might be of use, because the Sultan is swayed by a set of
rascals who are jealous of me! And is it not the same with better men
than myself? Look at Mehemet Ali, our late commander-in-chief, deposed
from office by men who had not the power to judge of his capacities--for
what? Did he not say with his own lips, to one of your own
correspondents, that although he had embraced the religion of Mohammed
they never could forget or forgive the fact that he was not born a Turk,
but regarded him as a Giaour in disguise; that his elevation to power
excited secret discontent among the Pashas, which I know to be true;
that another Pasha thwarted instead of aiding him, while yet another was
sent to act the spy on him. Is not this shameful jealousy amongst our
leaders, at a time when all should have been united for the common weal,
well known to have operated disastrously in other cases? Did not Osman
Pasha admit as much, when he complained bitterly, after the fall of
Plevna, that he had not been properly supported? Our rank and file are
lions in the field--though I cannot allow that they are lambs anywhere
else--but as for our--Bah! I have said enough. Besides, to tell you
the truth, I am tired of the Turks, and hate them."

Here my servant interrupted the Pasha with a coolness and familiarity
that amused me much.

"Sandy," said he, with a disapproving shake of the head, "you oughtn't
to go an' speak like that of your hadopted nation."

The Pasha's indignation vanished at once. He turned to Lancey with a
curious twinkle in his eye.

"But, my good fellow," he said, "it isn't my hadopted nation. When I
came here a poor homeless wanderer the Turks adopted _me_, not I _them_,
because they found me useful."

"That," returned Lancey, "should 'ave called hout your gratitood."

"So it did, Lancey. Didn't I serve them faithfully from that day to
this, to the best of my power, and didn't I shave my head and wear their
garb, and pretend to take to their religion all out of gratitude?"

"Worse and worse," retorted Lancey; "that was houtrageous 'ypocrisy.
I'm afraid, Sandy, that you're no better than you used to be w'en you
smashed the school-windows an' went about playin' truant on the Scottish
'il