370 THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



Brigade,) and things went on swimmingly for a 

 time. One day, however, the horizon of his destiny 

 was darkened with the cloud of misfortune ; for as 

 he was enjoying his chibouk at a caf6 near the 

 'Buyuk Chouk,' (Grand Bazaar,) he was accosted 

 by an old friend, and in an evil moment accepted an 

 invitation to accompany him to a slave-merchant's 

 'khan,' in order to select a Nubian eunuch as a 

 guardian for his harem. This matter settled, the 

 slave-merchant took them to see a magnificent 

 Georgian damsel, who was considered to be the 

 finest importation for many years. Her price was 

 eighty thousand piastres, (about six hundred pounds 

 sterling,) and Sulleiman Pacha became so captivated 

 with her appearance that, notwithstanding he was 

 an elderly man, and had three wives at home, he 

 became the purchaser ; and the object of his affec- 

 tions was ordered to be conveyed to his garden- 

 house near Scutari, on the extreme quiet, so that 

 his other wives might hear nothing about it. The 

 Pacha thought he observed a diabolical twinkle in 

 the eye of the slave-dealer when, after he had re- 

 ceived his money, he wished him ' every felicity ; ' 

 but at the moment he merely thought he had been 

 cheated out of some piastres, which, being rich, he 

 did not care about, never imagining that he would 

 have such cause to repent his bargain. The cun- 

 ning old fox then went home, and informed his 

 wives that he was obliged to start on a journey, 

 and after taking an afiectionate farewell he set off 



