THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 3? 



He offered me coffee and fweatmeats, promifed me his 

 protection, bade me fear nothing, but, if any body wronged 

 me, to acquaint him by Riik. 



Two or three nights afterwards the Bey fent for me 

 again. It was near eleven o'clock before I got admittance 

 to him. 



I met the janiflary Aga going out from him, and a num- 

 ber of foldiers at the door.. As I did not know him, I paf- 

 fed him without ceremony, which is not ufual for any per- 

 fcn to do. Whenever he mounts on horfeback, as he was 

 then juft going to do, he has abfolute power of life and 

 death, without appeal, all over Cairo and its neighbour- 

 hood. 



He ftopt me juft at the threfhold, and afked one of the 

 Bey's people who I was ? and was anfwered, « It is Hakim 

 Englefe," the Englifh philofopher, or phyfician. 



He afked me in Turkiih, in a very polite manner, if I 

 would come and fee him, for he was not well ? I anfwered 

 him in Arabic, « Yes, whenever he pleafed, but could not 

 then flay, as I had received a meffage that the Bey was wait- 

 mg." He replied in Arabic, « No, no ; go, for God's fake go - 

 any time will do for me." 



The Bey was fitting, leaning forward, with a wax taper 

 in one hand, and reading a final* flip of paper, which he 

 held clofe to his face. He feemed to have little light or 

 weak eyes ; nobody was near him : his people had been' all 

 diimifled, or were following the janiflary Aga out. 



Hjl 



