56 AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO. 
The party no longer being equal, I also took part in the 
conflict by seizing the new assailant by the beard. The 
combat ceased at once, because the Moroccan would not 
raise his hand against a man who could write a petition 
so rapidly. This conflict, like the struggles of which I 
had often been a witness outside the barriers of Paris, 
had originated in a dish of potatoes. 
The Spaniards always cherished the idea that the ship 
and her cargo might be confiscated ; a commission came 
from Girone to question us. It was composed of two 
civil judges and one inquisitor. I acted as interpreter. 
When M. Berthémie’s turn came, I went to fetch him, 
and said to him, “ Pretend that you can only talk Styrian, 
and be at ease; I will not compromise you in translating 
your answers.” 
It was done as we had agreed ; unfortunately the lan- 
guage spoken by M. Berthémie had but little variety, 
and the sacrement der Teufel, which he had learnt in Ger- 
many, when he was aide-de-camp to Hautpoul, predomi- 
nated too much in his discourse. Be that as it may, the 
judges observed that there was too great a conformity 
between his answers and those which I had made myself, 
to render it necessary to continue an interrogatory, which 
I may say, by the way, disturbed me much. The wish 
to terminate it was still more decided on the part of the 
judges, when it came to the turn of a sailor named Mehe- 
met. Instead of making him swear on the Koran to tell 
the truth, the judge was determined to-make him place 
his thumb on the forefinger so as represent the cross. 
I warned him that great offence would thus be given; 
and, accordingly, when Mehemet became aware of the 
meaning of this sign, he began to spit upon it with incon- 
ceivable violence. ‘The meeting ended at once. 
