“Be it so,” replied the aga; “my slave shall fetch it now.”  He gave directions accordingly, and the litter soon reappeared with another pipe of wine.

“It will be a heavy loss to a poor Jew—­one pipe of good wine,” observed my master, as it was rolled out of the litter; and he took up his hat with the intention to depart.

“Stay,” cried the aga, “I do not mean to rob you of your wine.”

“Oh, then, you will pay me for it,” replied my master; “aga, you are a considerate man.”

“Thou shalt see,” retorted the aga, who gave directions to his slaves to draw off the wine in vessels.  As soon as the pipe was empty, he desired me to take the head out; and when I had obeyed him, he ordered his janissaries to put my master in.  In a minute he was gagged 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 or death,—­and the days of self-devotion have long passed away in our country.  Besides which, I had the deed in my pocket by which I was a partner in the business, and my master had no heirs,—­so that I stood a chance to come into the whole of his property.  Moreover——­

* * * * *

“Never mind your reasons,” observed the pacha, “you headed him up in the cask—­go on.”

“I did so, your highness; but although I dared not disobey, I assure you that it was with a sorrowful heart—­the more so, as I did not know the fate which might be reserved for myself.”

* * * * *

As soon as the head was in, and the hoops driven on, the aga desired his slaves to fill the cask up again with the wine; and thus did my poor master perish.

“Put in the bung, Greek,” said the aga, in a stern voice.

I did so, and stood trembling before him.

“Well! what knowest thou of this transaction?”

I thought, as the aga had taken away the life of my master, that it would not hurt him if I took away a little from his character.  I answered that I really knew nothing, 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 must have suffered the same fate.  I added, that my master had expressed himself very sorry that his highness had taken away the pipe of wine, as he would have reserved it.

“Cursed Jew!” replied the aga; “I don’t doubt but he has murdered a dozen in the same manner.”

“I am afraid so, sir,” replied I, “and suspect that I was to have been his next victim; for when I talked of going away, he persuaded me to stay, and gave me this paper, by which I was to become his partner with one-third of the profits.  I presume that I should not have enjoyed them long.”