I t h e n took the red colours from the fervant behind me,
and going to the carpet fpread before the king, laid them
at his feet, faying, “ So may all your majefty’s enemies fall,
as this arch rebel (the bearer o f this) has fallen t o - d a y a
great murmur was immediately raifed upon feeing thefe
colours, and the k in g cried out with the utmoft impatience,
“ Has he fallen into your hands, Yagoube ? who was he,
where did you meet h im, or where did you flay him ?” “ Sir,
faid I, it was not my fortune to meet him to-day, nor did
•I flay him. I am no k in g -k ille r ; it is a fin, I thank God,
from which my anceftors are all fr e e ; yet, had Providence
thrown in my way a k in g like this, I believe I might, have
overcome my fcruples. He was killed, as I fuppofe, by a fhot
o f Guebra Mafcal, ontheflank o f o u r line; a foldierpickedup
the colours on the field, and brought them to me in hopes
o f reward, while you was engaged with the troops o f Begem-
der, near the b a n k ; but the merit o f his death is with Guebra
Mafcal. I do.him this juftice, the rather becaufe he is
the only man in-your majefty’s army who bears me ill-will,
or has been my conftant enemy, for what reafon I know
not.; but God forbid, that on this,,or any perfonal account,
I ihould not bear witnefs to the truth : this day, m y fo rtune
has .been to be near him during the whole of,it, and I
la y it from certain infpedlion, that to the bravery and activity
o f G uebra Mafcal e,very man in your left w in g owes
his life or liberty.”— “ He is a ihame and difgrace to his
family, fays the k in g ’s fecretary, w ho was Handing by him,
i f after this he can be your enemy.”— “ It m u ll beamiftake,
fays the k in g ’s prieft (Kiis Hatze), for this Ihould atone for
it, though Yagoube had flain his brother.”
■Wh il e
■ W h i l e this converfation was going on,'an extraordinary
buftle was obferved in the crowd; and this unquiet genius
puftiing through it with great violence, his goat’s flan'upon-
his fhoulders, and covered with dull and fweat, in the fame
manner he came from the field ; he had heard I was gone
to the kin g’s tent with the red flag, and not doubting I was
to complain o f him; or praife myfelf at his expence, had directly
followed me, without giving himfe lf time to make the
leaft inquiry. He threw himfe lf fuddenly, with his face to
the ground, before the throne, and rifing as quickly, and in
violent agitation, he faid-to the king, or rather bellowed,
very indecently, “ It is a lie Yagoube is telling; he does not
fay the truth; I meant him no harm but good to-day, and
he did not underftand m y language. I don’t fay Yagoube is
not as good a-man as any o f us, but it is a lie he" lias been
telling now, and-1 will prove it.”
A g e n e r a l thence followed this wild rhapfody; the k in g
Was furprifed, and very gravely laid, I am forry, fo r you r
lake, i f it is a l i e ; for m y part, I was raih enough to believe
it was true. Guebra Mafcal was ftill going to make bad
worfe, by fome abfurd reply, when the fecretary, and one or
two o f his friends, hauled him out behind the throne to
one o f the apartments within, not without fome refiftance,
every one fuppofing, and many faying, he was drunk ;. the
k in g was filent, but appeared exceedingly .difpleafed, wheh
I fell upon the ground before him, (a form o f alking leave
to fpeak upon any particular fubjeft) and rifing faid, Sir,
With great fubmifiion,it is not, I apprehend, true, that Guebra
Mafcal is drunk, as fome have raflily faid now in your
prefence; we have all ate and drank, and changed our
cloathing fince the battle ; but this man, who has been on
4 foot