tongue cut out, and his hand and head cut off; the tongue
the first day, the hand the second, and the head the third. I always had
a desire to have a mute in my service, so learning the day his tongue
was cut out, I went to the bey, and proposed to give him for Ali a
splendid double-barreled gun which I knew he was very desirous of
having. He hesitated a moment, he was so very desirous to complete the
poor devil's punishment. But when I added to the gun an English cutlass
with which I had shivered his highness's yataghan to pieces, the bey
yielded, and agreed to forgive the hand and head, but on condition that
the poor fellow never again set foot in Tunis. This was a useless clause
in the bargain, for whenever the coward sees the first glimpse of the
shores of Africa, he runs down below, and can only be induced to appear
again when we are out of sight of that quarter of the globe."

Franz remained a moment silent and pensive, hardly knowing what to think
of the half-kindness, half-cruelty, with which his host related the
brief narrative. "And like the celebrated sailor whose name you have
assumed," he said, by way of changing the conversation, "you pass your
life in travelling?"

"Yes. I made a vow at a time when I little thought I should ever be able
to accomplish it," said the unknown with a singular smile; "and I made
some others also which I hope I may fulfil in due season." Although
Sinbad pronounced these words with much calmness, his eyes gave forth
gleams of extraordinary ferocity.

"You have suffered a great deal, sir?" said Franz inquiringly.

Sinbad started and looked fixedly at him, as he replied, "What makes you
suppose so?"

"Everything," answered Franz,--"your voice, your look, your pallid
complexion, and even the life you lead."

"I?--I live the happiest life possible, the real life of a pasha. I am
king of all creation. I am pleased with one place, and stay there; I get
tired of it, and leave it; I am free as a bird and have wings like
one; my attendants obey my slightest wish. Sometimes I amuse myself by
delivering some bandit or criminal from the bonds of the law. Then I
have my mode of dispensing justice, silent and sure, without respite or
appeal, which condemns or pardons, and which no one sees. Ah, if you had
tasted my life, you would not desire any other, and would never return
to the world unless you had some great project to accomplish there."

"Revenge, for instance!" observed Franz.