Suddenly it occurred to me that I bore a close resemblance to the dead man.  For an hour or two, at any rate, I might act as an impostor.  So, in the dim light, I dressed myself in the chief priest’s clothes, and repaired to his house.

I was there received by two young slaves, who paid me attentions that would at most times have delighted me; but just then they filled me with apprehension, and I was heartily glad when I got rid of the slaves and fastened the door.  I then explored the chief priest’s pockets, and found therein two letters.  One was from the chief executioner—­a notorious drunkard—­begging permission to take unlimited wine for his health’s sake.  The other was from a priest at the mollah’s village saying that he had extracted from the peasantry one hundred tomauns (L80), which would be delivered to a properly qualified messenger.

To the chief executioner I wrote cheerfully granting the permission he sought, and suggesting that the loan of a well-caparisoned horse would not be amiss.  I wrote a note to the priest requesting that the money be delivered to the bearer, our confidential Hajji Baba.  Next morning I rose early, and made certain alterations in the chief priest’s clothes so as to avoid detection.  I went to the chief executioner’s house, presented the letter, and received the horse, upon which I rode hastily away to the village.  Having obtained the hundred tomauns I escaped across the frontier to Bagdad.

IV.—­Hajji and the Infidels

On reaching Bagdad, I sought the house of my old master, Osman Aga, long since returned from his captivity, and through his assistance, and with my hundred tomauns as capital, I was able to set up in business as a merchant in pipe-sticks, and, having made myself as like as possible to a native of Bagdad, I travelled in Osman Aga’s company to Constantinople.  Having a complaint to make, I went to Mirza Ferouz, Persian ambassador on a special mission to Constantinople.

“Your wit and manner are agreeable,” he said to me; “you have seen the world and its business; you are a man who can make play under another’s beard.  Such I am in want of.”

“I am your slave and your servant,” I replied.

“Lately an ambassador came from Europe to Tehran,” said Mirza Ferouz, “saying he was sent, with power to make a treaty, by a certain Boonapoort, calling himself Emperor of the French.  He promised, that Georgia should be reconquered for us from the Russians, and that the English should be driven from India.  Soon afterwards the English infidels in India sent agents to impede the reception of the Frenchman.  We soon discovered that much was to be got between the rival curs of uncleanness; and the true object of my mission here is to discover all that is to be known of these French and English.  In this you can help me.”

This proposal I gladly accepted, and went forth to interview a scribe of the Reis Effendi with whom I had struck up a friendship.  He told me that Boonapoort was indeed a rare and daring infidel, who, from a mere soldier, became the sultan of an immense nation, and gave the law to all the Europeans.