He rejoiced in the public inconvenience, and one day having to go out in heavy rain, he remarked to one of the officers of his escort, "How delightful to be driven through this in a carriage, while you will have the pleasure of following on horseback! You will be wet and dirty, whilst I smoke my pipe and laugh at your condition." He could not understand why Western sovereigns should permit their subjects to enjoy the same conveniences and amusements as themselves.
"If I had a theatre," he said, "I would allow no one to be present at performances except my own children; but these idiotic Christians do not know how to uphold their own dignity." There was no end to the mystifications which it amused the pacha to carry out with those who approached him.
One day he chose to speak Turkish to a Maltese merchant who came to display some jewels.

He was informed that the merchant understood only Greek and Italian.

He none the less continued his discourse without allowing anyone to translate what he said into Greek.

The Maltese at length lost patience, shut up his cases, and departed.

Ali watched him with the utmost calm, and as he went out told him, still in Turkish, to come again the next day.
An unexpected occurrence seemed, like the warning finger of Destiny, to indicate an evil omen for the pacha's future.