fupporting his head with his left hand, and fitting juft in the
corner o f the two fofas. Though it was late, he was in fu ll
drefs, his girdle, turban, and handle o f his dagger, all ihi-
n ing with the fineft brilliants, and a finer fprig o f diamonds,
upon his turban than what I had feen his father- in-law,
wear once when I was with him.
The room was light as day, with a number o f wax-torchcs;
or candles. I found my felf humbled at the fight o f fo much,
greatnefs and affluence. My bare feet were fo dirty, I had,
a fcruple to fet them upon the rich Perfian carpets with?
which the whole floor was covered, and the pain that walkin
g at all occafioned gave m e altogether fo crouching and,
cringing a look, that the Bfey, upon feeing me come in, cried
'out, “ What's that ?'Who is that? From whence is he come ?.
His fecretary told him, andimmediately upon that I' faidf to
him in Arabic, with a low bow, “Mahomet Bey, I am Yagoube,
an Engliihman, better known to your father-in-law than to .
you, very unfi t to appear before you in thecondition 1 am, having
been forced out o f my bedby yourfoldiers in the middlO ■
o f the only found fl'eep I have had'for many years.”' Hefeemi-
ed to be exceedingly ihocked at this, and faid to h is ' attend--
ants in Turk.ifh, “ My people!, who dares do this ? it is-s
impoilible.” ' Thoft that w ere privy to the mefiage reminded
him o f his fending for-me, and the caufe, which he had
forgot. They told him what Ifmael had faid* and what the
Copht, the tax-gatherer, had mentioned,* all very much in my
favour. He turned; bimfelf* with great violence on the fofa,
and faid, “ I* remember the man well, but it was not a man.
like* this, this is bad payment indeed. I was goiftg to aik you,
Yagoube; fays he, who thofe were that had brought you out
iiffu ch diftrefs, and‘1 find that I have done it my felf; but
take:
take my word, as I am a muflfulman, I did not intend it, I
did not know you was ill.”
My feet at that time gave me fuch violent pain that I
was like to faint, and could not anfwer, but as there were
two flowered velvet cufhions upon one o f the fteps above
the floor, I was obliged to kneel down upon one o f them, as I
did not know how fitting might be taken. The Bey immediately
faw this, and cried out, “ What now? what is the
matter ?” I faw he thought I had fome complaint to make,
or fomething to aik. I ihewed him my feet in a terrible
' fituation, the effeHs, I told him, o f m yp aflin g through the
defert. He defired me immediately to fit down on the
' cufhion. “ It is the coldnefs o f the night, and hanging
upon the afs, faid I, occafions th is ; the pain w ill be over
prefently.” “ You are a.n unfortunate man, fays the Bey,
whatever I mean to do for your good, turns to your mif-
fortune.” “ I hope not, Sir, faid I ; the pain is now over, and
I am able to hear what may be your commands.” “ I have
many queftions to aijk you, fays the Bey. You have been
very kind to poor old Ifmael, who is a iherriffe, and to
my Chriftian fervant iikewife g and I wanted to fee
what I could do for y o u ; but this is not the time, go home
and fleep, and I will fend for you. Eat and drink, and
fear nothing. My father-in-law is gone, but, b y the grace
o f God, I am here in his p lace; that is enough.” I bowed,
and took my leave.
T he Bey had fpoken feveral times to his fervant in Turk-
i l h ; but thefe interruptions are too common at fuch audiences
to be taken notice of. I went out to the antichamber
attended by five or fix people, and then into another
4 K 2 • room