RISE, DECLINE, AND TALL OF YUSEF BADRA. 419 
dra’s in jail! Yusef Badra’s in jail. 0, Howadji! can’Uyou 
get him out! He’s a good fellow ! He drinks ; but he’s a 
good fellow ! 0 Howadji! Howadji! Badra ! Badra !” 
We went straightway down to the office of the American 
consul. At the door we met Eleas, the servant of the En¬ 
glish captain, who was weeping bitterly. “ Badra’s in jail,” 
he cried, “ poor Yusef Badra ! They put him in jail for 
nothing at all-—they’ll punish him for nothing at all—only 
beating a miserable Turk on the road! 0, Howadji ! How¬ 
adji ! save him! Save poor Yusef, your friend and drago¬ 
man !”, 
It was even as Eleas told us. The withered little man, 
whom we had met on the road, was the victim of Yusef’s mis¬ 
guided courage ; and had laid his complaint before the Turk¬ 
ish authorities that morning. Yusef was accordingly seized, 
as already stated, and put in jail. 
The American consul, in compliance with our request, 
sent for Yusef; who was accompanied to the office by a 
guard of Turkish soldiers. There was much talk on all sides; 
but the authorities were immovable. Nothing could be done. 
The case was an aggravated one, and must go before the 
Sultan. It was for the Grand Seignor to decide what was to 
be done with a man so inspired with courage that he could 
not pass a decrepit old Turk on the road without attempt¬ 
ing to kill him. The consul did all in his power; we said 
and did all we could ; the friends of Yusef wept all they could. 
It was to no purpose; the laws of the land must take their 
course. Poor Yusef! No more was he Yusef the Brave! 
Yusef the Destroyer of Robbers ! Throughout Beirut he was 
now, “ Poor Yusef!”—nothing but “ Poor Yusef!” 
We went to his prison. There he sat behind the bars, 
surrounded by thieves and vagrants, and stared at by the idle 
rabble outside, crushed down in body and soul. The big tears 
rolled down his cheeks. When he saw us he covered his face 
and groaned : “ My niece did it, gentlemen; she made me 
drunk. All my misfortunes have come from devils in the 
form of angels. Take warning, 0 Howadji, and never put 
faith in woman !” We told him how sorry we were that we 
