concealment.  But at last, in spite of the solemnities, and my own ardent piety, the animal was roused within and overcame me.  I was hungry! and as I had expected this result, I had placed a good bottle of wine and some ham and fresh bread in my pocket.  I now took them out, spread my treasures upon the floor, and began to breakfast.  The Turk looked at me with horror, and he would not have been surprised if the roof of the holy mosque had fallen upon the Christian hound who dared to desecrate it by drinking wine and eating ham within its precincts, both of which were strictly forbidden by the prophet.  But the roof did not fall, not even when I forced my Mussulman to eat ham and drink wine with me, by threatening to show myself openly if he refused.  He commenced his unholy meal with dark frowns and threatening glances, ever looking up, as if he feared the sword of the prophet would cleave him asunder.  Soon, however, he familiarized himself with his sin, and forgot the holy ceremonies which were being solemnized.  When the service was over, and all others had left the mosque, he prayed me to wait yet a little longer, and as the best of friends, we finished the rest of my bacon and drank the last drop of my wine to the health of the prophet, laughing merrily over the dangers we had escaped.  As at last we were about to separate, my good Turk was sad and thoughtful, and he confessed to me that he had the most glowing desire to become a Christian.  The bacon and wine had refreshed him marvellously, and he was enthusiastic for a religion which offered such glorious food, not only for the soul, but for the body.  I was too good a Christian not to encourage his holy desires.  I took him into my service, and when we had left Turkey, and found ourselves on Christian soil, my Mussulman gratified the thirst of his soul, and became a son of Holy Mother Church, and felt no remorse of conscience in eating ham and drinking wine.  So my visit to the holy mosque was rich in blessed consequences; it saved a soul, and my wine and my ham plucked a man from the hell-fire of unbelief.  That is, I believe, the only time I ever succeeded in making a proselyte.”

“The salvation of that soul will free you from condemnation and insure your own eternal happiness.  When you come to die, marquis, you dare say, ’I have not lived in vain, I have won a soul to heaven.’”

“Provided,” said Voltaire, “that the bacon with which you converted the Turk was not part of one of the beasts into which the devils were cast, as is written in the Holy Scriptures.  If this was so, then the newly-baked Christian has certainly eaten of everlasting damnation.”