their charms, are present. Delicately fair, with melting yet lively blue eyes, the most silky hair, and a neck and arms and shoulders of waxy smoothness, there is a high-bred charm about her manner and address quite irresistible. She condescends so gracefully, none could have the heart to dispute her sovereignty; and when she intends to please, were it a Caliban she is certain of success, for who could resist that angel smile and sweet though dignified address? One could hardly believe that this delicate creature is a great smoker, and nightly receives a large circle of gentlemen expressly for the purpose of indulging in the noxious weed; yet such is the case, and that finely-formed mouth is but too often on those occasions disfigured by a cigar.

But she is just one of those privileged persons who may do what they please and still be charming and irresistible, as is proved by the absolute sway the fair lady exercises over all the world here. The men especially are her abject slaves, and her nightly réunions are literally social parliaments, where measures and resolutions are proposed and discussed as to what is or is not to be-and who is, or who is not, to be received within the city over which the fair sultana reigns. Long may she live to exercise her gentle sway, enforced by the eloquent expression of those matchless eyes-as absolute as the veriest tyranny of the middle ages!

But it is growing late, good Mr. Editor, and we must take our leave of the brilliant circle at the Palazzo Covoni, who will talk and sing, and fan themselves, and eat ices, far too late into the night for your taste. I have, too, exhausted all my present news, and must bid you farewell! FLORENTIA.

TALES OF MY DRAGOMAN.
No. III.

HOW MUFTIFIZ ROSE TO GREATNESS.

BY BASIL MAY.

Now, there was in a certain Turkish province a pacha much beloved of the people for his condescension and impartiality. Daily, almost, accompanied by his officers of state, he visited the bazaars and stalls, and though not always a purchaser, he invariably addressed some pleasing remark to the dealers. A great favourite of his was a certain Muftifiz, a jeweller, whose shrewdness had attracted his notice.

"By Bruin's ultimatum !" exclaimed the pacha, "a rare brooch, a very rare brooch; and thou sayest, Muftifiz, 'tis genuine tribute gold; that these bright sparkling gems symbolise the frankness and liberality of the North Land Gaiour. By Muckenough's passport, I like the allegory. What say the faithful servants of the Prophet?" he inquired, turning to his officers, who had gathered round him at his first words.

There was the kiaya, a host in himself. There was Achmet Benali, Achmet Ali and Bibi; severally, the grand master of the mules and whipper-in in ordinary to the seraglio, the master of the pantaloons and

dispenser in extraordinary of otto of roses, the commander-in-chief of all the forces.

Various were the ejaculations of astonishment and delight which proceeded from these great men on beholding this wonderful combination of nature and art.

The kiaya looked greedy, Achmet Benali was wistful, Achmet Ali gave a glance at his person, and Bibi swore by the fumes of his chibouk. "Such an appropriate trinket must not belong to any other but ourself," said the pacha; "friend Muftifiz, let it be carefully packed and sent to the palace."

"Your highness's will be done," answered Muftifiz, bowing graciously, and with satisfaction beaming on his countenance he laid the jewel on one side. "His faithful slave," he continued, "prays his highness will look at these wares," and he directed the attention of the pacha and his attendants to the contents of a mahogany-case, in which was a variety of articles, from a gold Geneva watch to a silver Sheffield toothpick.

Each bought something. The pacha a signet ring, the kiaya a pair of earrings, the master of the mules a jockey-cap and whip coat-studs, the dispenser in extraordinary of otto of roses a scent bottle, and Bibi a paperknife made like a dagger.

Whilst so engaged, a fakir, or religious mendicant, happened to pass, and seeing the illustrious company in the jeweller's shop, stepped in and solicited alms, and Bibi, who was also almoner, put some loose coins in a piece of paper and handed them to him.

"The spirit of the true Prophet be with you," said the beggar, and disappeared.

The pacha and his attendants had been gone about ten minutes, and were about to enter into one of the bazaars, when Muftifiz, breathless, pale, and greatly agitated, presented himself before the pacha, and begged he would grant him a few moments in private. The pacha, who perceived his favourite's scared looks, and saw at a glance that some matter of importance alone could so disturb his usual equanimity, bid his officers retire to a distance whilst he conversed with him.

"Highness," said Muftifiz, and he stammered as he spoke, "the brooch is gone."

"Gone-the brooch gone-where ?"

"I know not, highness. I laid it on one side whilst you inspected my other wares; no one has been into my shop since, and now I cannot lay hands on it. Allah! Allah! be merciful, or his servant is lost."

"Calm thyself, friend Muftifiz," said the pacha; and calling to his attendants, he bade them retrace their steps to the jeweller's.

Nothing but looks occurred, not a single word was spoken, for every one felt there was something unusual had happened.

"Faithful and honest servants," said the pacha, as soon as they were all in, and the door was closed, "somebody has prigged a brooch. It isn't me, here's the proof;" and suiting the action to the word, the pacha turned out the pockets of his pantaloon, and held them out by the ends between his forefinger and thumb. This was both an example and a command.

The kiaya turned out his pockets and slipped off his pantaloon;

Achmet Benali took off pantaloon and vest; Achmet Ali pantaloon, vest, and brodequins; and Bibi undressed. But no one took off his turban. The kiaya the pacha kindly requested to uncover; Benali was told to follow his example; Ali was reminded that the pacha waited; and Bibi got a look. However, no brooch was to be found, and Muftifiz, bewildered and at a loss what to say, stammered out an apology, which the pacha graciously accepted, and placing a heavy purse upon the counter, went away.

Muftifiz gave a good hunt for the missing brooch, and dismissed the matter from his mind, which he was the more disposed to do as the pacha had contributed largely to the reparation of his loss by the wellfilled purse he had left. Indeed, tradition says that the pacha's partiality was signally exemplified, and Muftifiz's loss more than compensated. Muftifiz was grateful, but he regretted that so kind a ruler should be a victim to the trust he reposed in others, for he had no doubt in his mind that some one of his officers could have accounted for the missing jewel; and his suspicions were strengthened when vague rumours reached his ears that other dealers had missed different articles, and at all times on the occasion of their marts being honoured by the visits of the pacha and the court, but which losses were passed over in silence, as it could not be supposed for an instant that such august company could know anything about the matter. At length these whispers taking the form of accusations, the worthy Muftifiz thought it would but be doing his duty to inform the pacha on the subject, and this he promised himself he would do the very next time he honoured him with a visit. He had not long to wait. The pacha came, and as chance would have it, unattended, except by an eunuch, who held his mule, and half a dozen mamalukes to guard his august person.

"Good day, friend," said the pacha.

Muftifiz prostrated himself.

"Has our faithful servant a gold padlock and key which will resist the skilfulest contrivances of the ablest lock picker ?"

"How happy is his faithful servant to have it in his power to serve his highness," said Muftifiz. "Here are locks and keys from the reputed depositories of Chubb, and Bramah, and Cupid's forges, which will baffle the keenest."

"Ah! Muftifiz," sighed his highness, whilst he selected several, which he alternately tried, so as to find one easy to his hand.

"What ails your highness ?"

"Oh! that we should find it difficult to trust even those we love," answered the pacha. "There, Muftifiz, I think this one will do; it is small, yet to all appearance beautifully complicated."

It was the habit of the pacha to indulge in long and familiar chats with his favourite, and on this occasion the latter soon found an opportunity to allude to the above-mentioned rumours. The pacha was much shocked; he could scarcely credit that his faithful liegemen had been the victims of a system he ignored. In his first impulse he would have returned to the palace immediately, assembled his ministers, and, on pain of instant bow-stringing, summoned the culprit to declare himself; but then he reflected that he should be acting unjustly towards the innocent, in case

the guilty proved obstinate, and for a moment he sincerely regretted he was not himself pacha, kiaya, and body-diplomatic, all in one.

"Allah! Allah!" he exclaimed, "who shall solve this mystery ?" "That will I," said Muftifiz.

"Thou," rejoined the pacha; " and how wilt thou proceed ?"

Muftifiz told the pacha as much of the line of conduct he meant to pursue as answered his purpose, which tended to obtain the pacha's authorisation to proceed in the matter exactly as his impulses should prompt him, with a guarantee that whatever he did should receive the pacha's as

sent.

In the course of his investigation, Muftifiz discovered many secrets and learnt many things. For instance, he learnt that the kiaya was very friendly, too friendly, perhaps, with the fair Barbarosa, his fellowlabourer, Pupmoud's wife. He knew exactly what jewellery she had, how long she had had it, and from whence it came; and recognising his own wares which had been legitimately sold, though not regularly paid for by the kiaya, he got nothing from that quarter. He learnt how Achmet Benali, as grand master of the mules, and whipper-in in ordinary to the seraglio, had presumed upon his influence to bestow all the vacant stalls on his own family, and turned the feminine chit-chat to his personal benefit. He learnt how Achmet Ali, as master of the pantaloons and dispenser in extraordinary of otto of roses, had let out on hire the sovereign breeches for masquerade nights, and spilt the perfume to destroy the public scent. But what was infinitely more to the purpose, he learnt that Bibi indulged in solitary walks whilst his fellow-ministers were at their clubs, or pleasantly engaged on their own special pet business. That Bibi, the son of Mars-Bibi, of all men-should take solitary walks, bore something so strange on the face of it, he determined to watch him closely. Assuming the costume of an Armenian, and putting powder on his beard and hair, to make them look grey, and placing a pair of green spectacles on his nose, Muftifiz took up a position in front of the palace. Presently, Bibi came out, twirling a cane round his fingers, and looking very bold. It being dark, Muftifiz pretended not to see, and ran up violently against him.

"Dog!" exclaimed Bibi, striking him a severe blow across the shoulders with his cane.

Muftifiz was profuse of excuses, but the ruse had succeeded; Bibi did not recognise him. Closely and pertinaciously he hung on his steps that night, followed him into the bazaars, stopped with him at the stalls, watched him into different marts, but Bibi did nothing but what was quite correct. Once or twice even, Muftifiz noticed that he bestowed alms on the fakirs who solicited his charity; and recognising in a subsequent application the same fakir who had been a previous recipient, he felt quite grieved that this charitable man should be so imposed upon. They had now reached that quarter of the city which no true follower of the Prophet was ever supposed to enter the domain of the Gaiour—and Muftifiz, like all true believers, having the stench in his nostrils, was about to leave Bibi to his fate, when, for the third time, standing in the reflection of the light, he saw the fakir who had twice received charity deliberately make a sign to Bibi, who followed in his steps, and turned down a dark corner, where they entered into conversation together. From

thence he traced them to the house of an infidel general dealer, where he thought it advisable to leave them, but promised himself to renew his investigation on the morrow, not doubting for a moment but that he now had a clue. The following night, Muftifiz having applied for and obtained the assistance of a guard of mamalukes, posted them in that same dark corner, with strict instructions to their chief not to leave the spot, and proceeded to his own watch in front of the palace, from which Bibi soon issued. He followed him into a bazaar, where Bibi stopped at a stall, and requested to look at some trinkets. Several were shown to himrings, bracelets, earrings, brooches, and pins for the hair. Whilst handling some of these, the fakir of the preceding night solicited alms. Muftifiz now drew up quite close, and saw Bibi put his right hand into his pocket, from which he drew a small square piece of paper, in which from his left hand he wrapped up something, which he tossed to the beggar. This short comedy was repeated some three or four times at different places, and then Bibi directed his steps to the spot where he had met the mendicant. There the latter had preceded him. Muftifiz diverged round, and as soon as they turned the corner gave the word to the mamalukes, who sprang upon the pair, seized them despite of Bibi's expostulations and threats, bound them with cords, and took them before the pacha. There the mendicant was searched, and in his gabardine were found, not well-bestowed alms, but many of the richest gems of the province.

The poor pacha was greatly shocked that Bibi, one of his household, under the cloak of religion, should have conspired to rob his people, thereby provoking their suspicions and animosity against himself, whose only wish was to be entirely free from cares of any kind. He determined to make an example, and commanded that Bibi and his confederate should be immediately put to death. Muftifiz he handsomely rewarded for this signal piece of service; indeed, he became so great a favourite, that scarcely a day passed he was not sent for to attend at the palace on some piece of business or other. The pacha even admitted him to his secret conferences with the kiaya, and now and then appealing to him, would say: "What thinks our faithful servant Muftifiz ?" or, "We shall talk it over at our leisure with friend Muftifiz."

Time flew on apace. The pacha, worthy man, leaving state matters entirely to his ministers, continued to lead an easy, careless life, which however was not destined to run smooth. Vague rumours reached the palace of a formidable conspiracy against the state, and by an anonymous intimation, the pacha was apprised that an important member of his government was at the head of it.

"What can it mean?" said the pacha, who, with his two familiars, was squatted on tiger skins in the divan, sipping his coffee and puffing his chibouk.

The kiaya emitted thick volumes of smoke, which might be taken to imply that he felt quite as puzzled as his worthy master.

"Hast observed nothing to excite thy suspicions, faithful Muftifiz ?” asked the pacha.

66

"To suspect, oh! excellence," said Muftifiz, who had conversed with Martin Tupper on his projected " Proverbial Philosophy," "is not to reap in the furrows of my brain good harvest of right reasons."