The Pacha of Many Tales

e, as after a walk of half an hour, he overheard two men loudly disputing at the door of a small wine-shop, frequented by the Greeks and Franks living in the city, and into which many a sla

, Anselmo, it is the vilest composition that was ever drunk: and I think I ought

that I am a better judge than you: I was not a monk of the Dominican order for f

le," observed the pacha, "and also why a Dominican monk should k

The man threw himself down before the pacha, with his head on the floor of the divan, and said,-"First promise me, your highness, by

th he committed, that he would have his pardon granted

ther country, I was unfortunate," continued the man-"I cannot tell m

der;-but although we watch the flowers which ornament our gardens, and would punish those who cull them, yet we care not who intrudes and robs our neigh

; "besides, we might lose the story. Kafi

s) then rose up, and narrated h

THE GRE

I was twenty years old, I had buried both my parents, and was left to shift for myself. I had been for some time in the employ of a Jewish wine-merchant,

rked under my orders, a powerful, broad-shouldered, and most malignant wretch, whom my master found it almost impossible to manage; the bastinado, or any other punishment, he derided, and after the application only became more sullen and discontented than before. The fire that flashed from his eyes, upon any fault being found by me on ac

n sprang up in a rage, but on seeing his master with the stave in his hand, contented himself with muttering, "That he would not remain to be beaten in that manner," and re-applied himself to his labour. As soon as my master had left the cooperage, the Ethiopian vented his anger upon me for having informed against him, and seizing th

leave my master to suppose he had run away, and in the mean time conceal the body. But to effect this was difficult, as I could not take it out of the cooperage without being perceived. After some cogitation, I decided upon putting it into the cask, and heading it up. It required all my strength to lift the body in, but at last I succeeded. Having put in the head

m, the Jew hastened to give notice to the authorities, that he might be apprehended; but after some time, as nothing could be heard of the supposed runaway, it was imagined that he had drowned himself in a fit of sullenness, and

d him the pipes of wine prepared for that year's market, which were arranged in two rows; and I hardly need observe that the one containing the Ethiopian was not in the foremost. After tasting one or two which did not seem to please him, the aga observed, "Friend Issachar, thy tribe will always put off the worst goods first, if possible. Now I have an idea that there is better wine in the second tier, than in the one thou hast recommended. Let thy Greek put a spile into that cask," continued he,

of wine were not all of the same qua

aga, "and then taste the firs

not. Taste it, Charis."-I held the glass to my lips, but nothing could induce me to taste the contents. I contented m

of the same quality, probably intending to have laid in a large stock; but finding no other of the same flavour, he

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the pacha, "dost thou really mean to say

rmed to be superior to any thing that he had ever tasted-and his sorrow that the aga had taken away the cask, which prevented him from ascertaining the cause. But one day I was narrating the circumstance to a Frank in this country, who expressed no

en it must be so-I have heard that the English a

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ments accordingly. I told my master that it was my intention to leave him, as I had an offer to go into business with a relation at Zante. My master, who could not well do without me, entreated me to stay; but I was positive. He then offered me a share of the business if I

remain, and then to deceive you. To prove the contrary, here is a deed drawn up by which you are a partner, and entitl

t be about, and I cursed my folly in having delayed so long; but the fact was, the wine proved so agreeable to the aga's palate that he had drunk it much faster than usual; besides which, the body of the slave took up at least a third of the cask

t thou think that thou art to impose upon a true believer, and sell him a pipe of wine which is not more than two-thirds fu

ell, then," replied the aga, "we will soon see. Let thy Greek send for his tools, and the

certain-nothing buoyed me up but my observing that the resentment of the aga was levelled more against my master than against me; but still I thought th

the horror of all present, the body was exposed; but instead of being black, it had turned white, from the ti

nd called the Patriarch to witness the truth of my assertion. But while we were thus exclaiming, the aga's eyes were fixed upon my master with an indignant and dea

Turk, "is it thus that thou preparest t

aga, how that body came there; but I will change t

h it now." He gave directions accordingly, and th

ine," observed my master, as it was rolled out of the lit

, "I do not mean to r

r it," replied my master; "ag

gged and bound, and tossed into the pipe; and I was directed to put in the head as before. I was very unwilling to comply; for I had no reason to complain of my master, and knew that he was punished for the fault of which I had been guilty. But it was a case of life

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bserved the pacha, "you head

assure you that it was with a sorrowful heart-the more so, a

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the aga desired his slaves to fill the cask up agai

reek," said the aga

stood trembl

west thou of th

but that, the other day, a black slave had disappeared in a very suspicious manner-that my master made very little inquiry after him-and I now strongly suspected that he

"I don't doubt but he has murde

I talked of going away, he persuaded me to stay, and gave me this paper, by which I was to beco

w in it, that I may have the pleasure occasionally to look at my revenge. You will also keep the pipe with the other body in it, that it may keep my anger alive. The last is, that you will

a Jew. When I was questioned as to his disappearance, I shrugged up my shoulders and told the inquirers, confidential

er than the rest, in the centre of the store. He would come in the evening, and rail at the cask containing my late master for hours at

ained. I had them spiled underneath, and, constantly running off the wine from them, filled them up afresh. In a short time there was not a gallon in my

g from his Arabian, came in to take a farewell glass, desiring his men to go on, and that he would ride after them. One glass brought on another, and the time flew rapidly away. The evening closed in, and the aga was, as usual, in a state of intoxication;-he insisted upon going down to the store, to rail once more at the cask containing the body of the Jew. We had long been on the most friendly terms, a

! die you shall, like your master. Holy prophet! what a state for a Mussulman to go to Par

what had taken place, and that I should be sacrificed to his vengeance. The fear of death, and the wine which I had drunk, decided me how to act. I dragged him into an empty pipe, put

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believer-an aga of janissaries! Thou dog of a kafir-thou

se by the sword of the prophet? Besides, he was no true believer, or he would

the black slave; but an aga of janissaries!-Is not th

two considerations which your slave ventures to submit to your sublime wisdom. The first is

or that! Had I sworn to a tru

as not yet finished his story,

true. Let him f

pon the holy standard made out of the nether garments of the prophet, by the pacha, who had recovered his temper

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le of the night, aroused his family, and when they discovered that it was wounded and without its rider, they imagined that the aga had been attacked and murdered by banditti when he had followed his troop. They sent to me to ask at what

the value of it with interest, from the flavour which I obtained from his body and which I imparted to the rest of my stock

had long wished to have him as a customer. I drew some of my best-"This, honourable sir," said I, presenting the glass, "is what I ca

a slave with a pitcher, which gives occasion for remarks:

as the first which I had recommended. At last he cast

re those?"

I; but he had his stick in

do not sound so; I suspect that thou hast better wine

. I stated to him that the wine in those casks was used for flavouring the rest; and that the price was enormo

r-but one cannot have good wine wit

I lost the means of flavouring my wines, but all in vain; he said that I had asked a price and he had agreed to give it. Ordering his slaves to

ing him three pipes of wine as a present if he would consent, but it was of no use. I chartered a vessel, which I loaded with the rest of my stock; and, taking all my money with me, made sail for Corfu, before any discovery had taken place. But we encountered a heavy gale of wind, which, after a fortnight (during which we attempted in vain

d, when the idea occurred to me that I might conceal my own bo

at I had reason to suspect that the cadi would take my life,

went down into the hold, started the wine out of one of the pipe

ptain stated that I had fallen overboard in the gale, and that he had in

di; "the murderer, that fines his wines with the bodies of his fellow-

of the ship. Not being able to discover me, the Greek captain was believed; and

on, and never came near me. At night he cut his cable and made sail, and I overheard a conversation between two of the men, which made known to me his intentions: these were to throw me overboard on his passage, and take p

om my misery. The momentary anticipation of death appeared to be so much worse than the reality. But it was ordered otherwise: a gale of wind blew up with such fo

t to obtain fresh air. I was dreadfully bruised by the constant rolling, in a heavy sea, and completely worn out with fatigue and pain; I had made up my mind to let the water in and be rid of my life, when I was tossed over and over with such dreadful rapidity as prevented my taking the precaution of keeping out the water. After three successive rolls of the same kind, I found that the cask,

I was the owner of the ship which was off the land, and the captain and crew had

, and the white foaming surf was covered with pipes of wine, which, as fast as they were cast on shore, were rolled up by the same people who had released me. I was so worn out, that I fainted where I lay

oured some wine down my throat, which restored me. I was then d

me the truth-if I believe you, you shall have justice-I am cadi here-if you wish to know where you are, it is upon the island of Isch

eople, and I therefore narrated my history to them, in the same words that I no

u have imparted to us, I shall commute your sentence. As for the captain and the remainder of the crew, they have been guilty of treachery and piracy on the high seas-a most heinous offence, which deserves instant death; but as i

al on our parts was useless. When the weather became more settled, we were put on board one

e explained; and I hope you will allow that I have been more unfortunate than guilty, as on every

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head off for drowning the aga-I consider it excessively impertinent in an unbelieving Greek to suppose that his life is of the

n the stars of heaven," observed Mustapha. "

think 'tis a very handsome present. Drown an aga, indeed!" continued the pacha, rising, "but it cert