his money without interruption. See,' said the Sultan to one of his companions, pointing to the caique in question, 'see that boatman out yonder, counting money and laughing. Call him here, and let us inquire into the cause of his mirth.' So the companion of the sovereign's pastime hailed Dalee Mehmed, who being very pleasantly occupied did not at first hear him, and when he did, he merely raised up his eyes for a moment from off his treasure, without deigning to give any answer. On being called several times, he at length replies that he is engaged, and does not want any mushterees, (passengers ;) but being repeatedly called, he miscounts, is very much vexed at the interruption, and expresses his displeasure in no measured terms. Finding at length that he cannot, either on land or water, count his money in peace, he puts it all again in the bag, the bag in his breast, and catching up his oars slowly rows back to the wharf. The Sultan and his companions get in and tell him to row them to Seraglio Point. On the way the Sultan asks him what he was counting, and why he laughed; but Dalee Mehmed replies that it is none of his business, and requests him to attend to his own affairs. Soon one of the sovereign's companions lets Dalee Mehmed know who he has for freight, at which he becomes so alarmed that he can scarcely use his oars; (which is well imitated by the Meddah.) He now relates to the Sultan the occurrences of the previous evening, much to his amusement, and is directed to return to the quarter where the girl's parents reside. 'Let us verify this affair,' said the Sultan to his companions; for if it be true we must not permit the guilty to go unpunished.' On the way Dalee Mehmed gives the Sultan a glowing description of the Turkish maiden's beauty, and failing for a comparison for the clearness of her complexion, says she is as fair as a-goose!

‹ Arrived at the residence of the maiden, Dalee Mehmed soon lets her parents know who the individuals are who accompany him, and they both kneel down and kiss the sovereign's feet in humility. The Sultan sends one of his companions for the Cavoss Bashi, who is recognized from the maiden's description of his person; he cannot deny his conduct, and is sent off to prison. The Sultan next expresses a desire to marry the maiden to Dalee Mehmed. She consents; he does as much; the parents sanction their union; and the Sultan on the spot appoints the father to be a Capougee Bashi, (chamberlain), and Dalee Mehmed to be his own Caikjee-Bashi, or head boatman.'

The Meddah closed his story by saying that some days afterward the two were married, and established in a fine covak, the gift of the Sultan, to which he with royal generosity added a dowry of jewelry and fine clothes, with a suitable number of jariehs or maiden slaves to attend on Mrs. Dalee Mehmed. As to the old woman and the Cavoss Bashi, whose ill conduct had been the cause of making the fortune and happiness of two innocent individuals, their fates were shown to have been equally eastern with those of the former. The woman was searched for by the officers of justice, and her guilt being proven, she was consigned to the deep waters of the Sea of Marmora, while the Cavoss Bashi was decapitated, as a warning to those who being charged with the administration of justice make use of it to oppress and tyranize.

THE

ADVOCATE

37 JOHN HUNTER.

LOUBET.

It was the evening of Saint John's day, in the year 16**. In accordance with a time-honored custom, the consuls of the good city of Aix had set fire to a heap of faggots and brush-wood raised in the form of a pyramid and surmounted with a banner of the fleur de lis, in the middle of the large square known as the Place des Precheurs. Presently a ruddy flame illumined with its flickering lustre the lofty mansions and old elms of the neighborhood, and was reflected in varying hues from the lozenge-shaped panes of the ancient county palace. Then the assembled populace, with shouts and clapping of hands, began to dance the farandoule around the bonfire; while from time to time some piece of fire-works fell among the crowd, who hastily dispersed with loud outcries. And now the more prudent began to make their retreat from the scene of rude and boisterous mirth.

About nine o'clock, when the standard was entirely consumed, the consuls withdrew, and a mimic warfare commenced. Since the invention of gunpowder, not a year had passed on which a large quantity of this deadly material had not been burnt on the return of the festival of Saint John. The municipal authorities usually winked at this species of friendly contest, in which, however, many of the combatants were frequently injured, and sometimes badly scarred and burnt by the unexpected explosion of some fiery serpent or ill-directed rocket.

It was for this reason that the doors and windows of the good city of Aix were usually closed and fastened at sunset on the evening of Saint John; and people of the better sort withdrew into their houses, not caring to risk themselves in the midst of the fire and smoke of the thousand petards, rockets, and other fire-works, which the officers of the royal guard, the members of the Basoche, the cadets and students of the university, were throwing about in every direction. It was like a shower of wild fire on the Place des Precheurs, where the Basochians and Royal Guard had now,continued the contest for more than an hour. The populace, spectators of the battle, applauded with loud outcries every remarkable feat of arms, and had gradually retreated into the adjoining streets. A single individual, wrapped in a large cloak, with his face concealed by a slouched hat, alone remained, leaning against a tree opposite the hotel of the First President of the Parliament.

'Holloa! Master Loubet,' cried a clerk of the Basoche, as he passed him; 'you have no arms. Take care of yourself!'

Bravo! Marius

The person thus addressed turned quietly around. Magis,' replied he; 'the Royal Guard have given you a rough farewell; but you have bravely returned the compliment.'

My fine officers have gone off well peppered,' replied the Basochian, shaking his little wallet, which was well stored with petards; but you had better withdraw, Master Loubet; you stand a chance of getting a scorched face; there is hot work going on here.'

A little burnt powder is but a trifle, and I am under a good buckler,' returned Master Loubet, drawing his cloak over his shoulder. 'Say rather an ægis,' interrupted the Basochian, gaily; an ægis, that is the word.'

'Be it so; but as I find it rather heavy just now, I think I will go in and cool myself a little. Keep a brave heart; and a pleasant night to you, Marius Magis.'

He bowed to the Basochian, and proceeded toward a small mansion which faced the Rue du Portalet. Like its neighbors, the house was barricadoed as in time of civil warfare, and no light was visible from any of the front windows. The advocate gently unlocked the door and stepped into a narrow passage which served as a porch, and opened upon a little court-yard. He had scarcely closed the door behind him, when a petard exploded at its threshold.

'What a silly, noisy amusement!' murmured Jaques Loubet, as he gained his office, a small apartment situate on the ground-floor.

Curtains of blue buckram were drawn closely before the windows; a lamp was burning upon a writing-desk, covered with papers and packages of pleadings; a few stuffed benches and straw-bottomed chairs were ranged along the white-washed walls; some hundred well-thumbed volumes ranged upon a couple of black shelves, and a wooden-clock, completed the furniture of this apartment, where the advocate, Master Jaques Loubet, was wont to receive his numerous clients.

Having speedily disembarrassed himself of his cloak, he sat down in a large arm-chair of red leather, which seemed the most antique piece of furniture in the office, and then dipped his pen into a horn inkstand, from whence the Loubets, advocates for three generations, had drawn many a long and learned plea. But on this occasion, inspiration seemed to fail the votary of Themis; an insurmountable fit of abstraction caused the ink to dry in his pen, and the large sheet of paper which lay before him remained in its original whiteness. He soon wearied of this contest between his powers of volition and the fixed idea which seemed to possess his mind; and throwing down his pen, he passed his hand through the thick locks that clustered around his temples, and yielded himself up to his revery. His eye wandered vacantly over the written papers which lay spread before him; he read mechanically the titles of his cases: The heirs Chapins versus the heirs Fouqueteau, damages twenty pounds;' 'The Sieur Girard, assessor, against the Township of Nans, for a water-course,' etc. But presently a deeper and more tender sentiment than the love of legal lore seemed to animate the dark blue eyes of the advocate, and a faint smile, index of a precious remembrance of the heart, passed over his care-worn features. Soon however a bitter change came to dispel this silent feeling of exaltation; and then Jaques Loubet pressed his clasped hands upon his forehead, and murmured:

'Oh God! what thoughts are these! Where will they terminate? It is folly, it is madness, thus to give way to them!'

Once more he essayed to peruse his papers; but the fixed idea which possessed his mind soon returned, powerful and tenacious, and the advocate again relapsed into a fit of abstraction.

'Cousin Jaques!' cried in a low tone the gentle voice of a young girl at the door of the study; will you come to supper?'

6

The advocate started up, and thus suddenly recalled to his usual occupations, began to arrange his papers.

My aunt is waiting for you; will you come, cousin?' said the same voice, in a timid tone.

'I am coming, Catharine,' said he, taking his lamp and following the young girl.

In those days advocates were not the lordly characters they now are, nor did their residences resemble the hotels of the nobility. The best apartment was usually occupied as the office, with rarely any ante-chamber except the corridor; and the family were wont to take their meals in the kitchen. It was here that the mother and the young cousin of the advocate Loubet were sitting. Every thing seemed neat, suitable, and well-ordered; and one might readily perceive in all the little household details, of which the mistress of the family never lost sight, the modest opulence of a respectable citizen.

A huge dresser, filled with plates and dishes, stood opposite the fireplace, whose lofty mantel-piece was ornamented with vases of painted china-ware and pots of flowers tastefully arranged. There was no silver on the walnut table where the cover was spread; but forks and drinking cups of plated ware, and linen of the finest texture and purest whiteness, betokened the easy circumstances of the family. A leathern arm-chair marked the place, as head of the household, of the advocate Loubet; the old female domestic had also her stool at a respectful distance from her employers, with whom she took her meals.

The mother of the advocate was a woman of strong sense and piety, and much respected in the neighborhood for her exemplary life and deeds of charity. Although the possessor of a dowry of three thousand crowns, she had not ventured to assume the title of Madame, but was known simply as Mistress Loubet. Her niece, Catharine Loubet, was eighteen years of age; a lovely girl, fair and delicate, and a creature so pure and gentle that in her daily intercourse with the world she seemed to inspire even the wicked with good thoughts. For many years an orphan, she was now betrothed to Master Loubet, and it was arranged that she should become his spouse at the end of the year.

'Cousin Jaques,' said Catharine, fixing upon him her soft blue eyes, 'you study too much; you will injure yourself; your poor eyes look as if they had been weeping

It is nothing-nothing,' briskly interrupted the advocate; 'I was awake all last night, but I am going now to take some repose.'

The young girl seated herself at the table by the side of Mistress Loubet, and mechanically unfolded her napkin; then turning her eyes toward a vacant seat next the advocate, she burst into tears.

'Come, come, Catharine,' said he, in a sad and almost stern voice, we have mourned enough for this unfortunate girl. May God help her! We can do no more for her.'

'My poor sister!' interrupted Catharine; 'who knows what has become of her? Who can say that she is not more to be pitied than blamed ? Ah! cousin Jaques! if you could only bring us some tidings of her!'