“Well, I’ll get rid of her to-morrow; but I can tell you, vizier, that I deserve all my pay, for it’s rather fatiguing work—­besides, my conscience.”

“Holy prophet! hear him—­his conscience! go, hypocrite, drown it in wine to-night, and it will be dead to-morrow; and don’t forget to kill your wife.”

“Allow me to observe, that you Turks have very little taste; nevertheless, I will get rid of her after your own fashion, for she shall go to the bottom of the sea—­Bashem ustun, on my head be it.”

Chapter XI

The next morning the pacha hurried over the business of the day, for Mustapha had intimated that the renegade considered his fifth voyage to be one of great marvels.  Selim was introduced as before, and commenced the narrative.

FIFTH VOYAGE OF HUCKABACK.

Your highness may be surprised, that being in the possession of wealth, rank, and my charming Cerise, I should have again ventured upon the treacherous ocean.  Of course your highness has heard of the revolution which took place in France, and all the horrors which attended it.

* * * * *

“France!  Yes, I believe there is a country of that name; I can’t say that I ever heard of the revolution.  Holy prophet! but these people have strange ideas,” continued the pacha to the vizier; “to imagine that we must know or care about what is going on in their barbarous countries.  You may proceed, Huckaback.”

* * * * *

It will be necessary to say a few words upon the subject, your highness, but I will be as concise as possible.  One day, a party of men from my native city (Marseilles), dressed in red caps, their shirt sleeves tucked up, and armed with various weapons, surrounded my chateau, insisting upon my immediately informing them whether I was for the summoning of the estates-general.  I answered, most certainly, if they wished it.  They cheered me, and went away.

Shortly afterwards, they came to ascertain if I approved of the national convention.  I answered, that I approved of it excessively.  They were satisfied, and again disappeared.  They came a third time, to inquire if I was a republican, to which I gave the affirmative.  A fourth, to know whether I sided with the Girondists; I declared myself one of that party, and hoped that I should be asked no more questions.  But before two or three months had passed away, another party came to ascertain whether I was a real Jacobin, which I solemnly pronounced myself to be;—­a second time, to know whether I thought proper to be called citizen, or have my head cut off; I declared in favour of the former, and made them a present of my title of marquis.  But at last they surrounded my house with loud cries, declaring that I was an aristocrat, and insisted upon carrying my head away upon a pike.  This I considered a