136 A COMPLETE VICTOEY. 



CH. TI, 



Marocco authorities aa to the best way of dealing with 

 the troublesome Christian visitors was considered a rather 

 knotty one, for fully two hours elapsed before our Mogador 

 haid returned with the Viceroy's answer. We were wel- 

 come to Marocco, he said, and he had ordered the palace 

 of Ben Dreis, with the adjoining garden, to be prepared 

 for our reception. That building belonged, it was added, 

 to his father, the Sultan, and not to the Governor of 

 Marocco, so that we should consider the use of it as a 

 mark of the personal favour and friendship of the Sultan. 

 The request for an interview was evaded, probably to avoid 

 any further demands that may have been apprehended ; 

 but we had obtained a complete victory, and had nothing 

 more to ask so far as our stay in Marocco was concerned. 



Although the sequel of the story was not unfolded 

 till a day or two later, it may as well be here given. 

 Si Boubikir, one of our Moorish friends who had inte- 

 rested himself on our behalf, was sent for by the Viceroy, 

 and at the same time Ben Daoud was also summoned. 

 The latter was addressed by the Viceroy in the coarsest 

 terms : ' You dog ! you slave ! you son of a slave ! how 

 have you dared to neglect my father's orders ? Were you 

 not ordered to provide a suitable residence for these Eng- 

 lish gentlemen ? ' With further additions of threats and 

 abuse. On the following day (after we had paid our visit 

 to El Grraoui) a person sent by Ben Daoud came to Abra- 

 ham, our interpreter, to express a hope that we should 

 also pay a visit to the Grovernor of the city in token of 

 reconciliation. He was to assure us that Ben Daoud was 

 no way to blame for anything that had happened, as he 

 had acted throughout by the express orders of the Viceroy, 

 who had desired him to begin by offering the smaller 

 house, then one somewhat larger, and to leave it to the 

 Viceroy to meet our demands, if we persisted in asking 

 for a house with a garden. It was quite impossible to 

 guess how much or how little truth there might be in this 

 tale, and how far the scene got up before Si Boubikir was 



