I was now rid of my dangerous acquaintance, and although he certainly had drunk a great quantity of my wine, yet I recovered 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.  I raised him up alongside of the two other casks; and my trade was more profitable and my wines in greater repute than ever.

But one day the cadi, who had heard my wine extolled, came privately to my house; I bowed to the ground at the honour conferred, for I 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 call my aga wine:  the late aga was so fond of it, he used to order a whole cask at once to his house, and had it taken there in a litter.”

“A good plan,” replied the cadi, “much better than sending a slave with a pitcher, which gives occasion for remarks:  I will do the same; but, first, let me taste all you have.”

He tasted several casks, but none pleased him so much as the first which I had recommended.  At last he cast his eyes upon the three casks raised above the others.

“And what are those?” inquired he.

“Empty casks, sir,” replied I; but he had his stick in his hand, and he struck one.

“Greek, thou tellest me these casks are empty, but they do not sound so; I suspect that thou hast better wine than I have tasted:  draw me off from these immediately.”

I was obliged to comply—­he tasted them—­vowed that the wine was exquisite, and that he would purchase the whole.  I stated to him that the wine in those casks was used for flavouring the rest; and that the price was enormous, hoping that he would not pay it.  He inquired how much—­I asked him four times the price of the other wines.

“Agreed,” said the cadi; “it is dear—­but one cannot have good wine without paying for it:—­it is a bargain.”

I was very much alarmed; and stated that I could not part with those casks, as I should not be able to carry on my business with reputation, if 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 bring a litter, he would not leave the store until the whole of the casks were carried away, and thus did I lose my Ethiopian, my Jew, and my aga.

As I knew that the secret would soon be discovered, the very next day I prepared for my departure.  I received my money from the cadi, to whom I stated my intention to leave, as he had obliged me to sell him those wines, and I had no longer hopes of carrying on my business with success.  I again begged him to allow me to have them back, offering 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 to make head against it), forced us back to Smyrna.  When the weather moderated, I directed the captain to take the vessel into the outer roadstead that I might sail as soon as possible.  We had not dropped anchor again more than five minutes when I perceived a boat pulling off from the shore in which was the cadi and the officers of justice.