Good! I take my time; then I charge, double-quick, and cut his line in two,--you understand?
Ha! ha! after the affair was over, Ali kissed me--" "Do they do that in the East ?" asked the count, in a joking way.
"Yes, monsieur," said the painter, "that's done all the world over." "After that," continued Georges, "Ali gave me yataghans, and carbines, and scimetars, and what-not.

But when we got back to his capital he made me propositions, wanted me to drown a wife, and make a slave of myself,--Orientals are so queer! But I thought I'd had enough of it; for, after all, you know, Ali was a rebel against the Porte.

So I concluded I had better get off while I could.

But I'll do Monsieur Tebelen the justice to say that he loaded me with presents,--diamonds, ten thousand talari, one thousand gold coins, a beautiful Greek girl for groom, a little Circassian for a mistress, and an Arab horse! Yes, Ali Tebelen, pacha of Janina, is too little known; he needs an historian.
It is only in the East one meets with such iron souls, who can nurse a vengeance twenty years and accomplish it some fine morning.

He had the most magnificent white beard that was ever seen, and a hard, stern face--" "But what did you do with your treasures ?" asked farmer Leger.
"Ha! that's it! you may well ask that! Those fellows down there haven't any Grand Livre nor any Bank of France.