(544 THE RED TAHTANE. 



gone by," exclaimed the Rover, forcing himself to smile. " Here's to 

 thy mistress to thy Juana, and her black eyes !" 



Fasillo repeated, almost mechanically, " To Juana, and her black 

 eyes !" 



" Where then shall we cast anchor, mio caro ? 



" By the love of Juana !" exclaimed Fasillo, arousing himself, " I 

 am for France, if the French resemble their wine;" and he held up 

 his foaming glass to the light. 



" Right, Fasillo, right ; like their wine, they sparkle, effervesce, 

 and evaporate." 



" But, commandant, I hope there are no minarets, with pointed 

 arrows, on which to seat you ; no mosques, where poor girls are 

 tortured ; nor Christians, who shoot old men as they would deer, be- 

 cause they are faithful to the religion of their fathers ! But you have 

 been there ?" 



" Yes, Fasillo." 



" And your sojourn was long in that beautiful country ?" 



ft When I quitted 'Egypt, I went to Madrid; and during the reign 

 of Fernando the Sixth, I became known to that excellent man, Don 

 Josef de Carvajal, then minister for foreign affairs ; through his 

 friendship, my naval talents were appreciated, and I rose to the com- 

 mand of a frigate ; but, having unfortunately incurred the hatred and 

 resentment of Farinelli, a singer, and creature who almost governed 

 the weak king, on the death of my upright and virtuous patron I ran 

 the utmost danger of falling into the hands of the atrocious inquisi- 

 tion ; my eastern origin was discovered. I was denounced, and 

 only avoided the horrors of burning by a timely escape to the French 

 frontiers, where' I first proceeded to Bayonne, and ultimately to 

 Paris." 



(< To Paris, commandant ! you have been at Paris?" 



" Yes, Fasillo ; and I led there a new and singular life. I renewed 

 my acquaintance with a merchant-captain, whom I had seen at Grand 

 Cairn, at the moment he was about to be beheaded for having raised 

 the veil of a wife of Ismael Bey. Through my exertions he was 

 saved, and I received him on board my little vessel. Meeting me in 

 France, he wished to give me some proofs of his gratitude, and intro- 

 duced me to a select number of his friends as an Egyptian proscribed 

 by the inquisition ; this occasioned such warm and lively expressions 

 of interest that I was quite overcome. In a short time, the circle was 

 enlarged, and each one would hear the history of my unfortunate ex- 

 istence. I complied, for it is ever agreeable to speak of your mis- 

 fortunes to those who pity you; and the unfortunate have even a 

 miserable self-love which prompts them to say, " See, see, how my 

 wounds bleed !" But I was cruelly punished for this pride in my suf- 

 ferings. One day, I remarked they made me repeat my misfortunes 

 so often as to fatigue me. I became mistrustful ; and closely ob- 

 served these generous beings. I listened to the reflections caused by 

 my suspicions, until at length I appreciated the sort of interest felt 

 for a man overwhelmed by grief. At first I was stupified it has 

 never since produced but a smile of contempt. Think, Fasillo, new 

 emotions were necessary at any price, as they said ; and to find such, 



