has just received."

"Very true, Mustapha."

"Moreover, he should be ever grateful to your highness for the
distinguished honour conferred upon him."

"All that you say is very true, Mustapha, but where am I to meet with
such a man?"

"This world is convenient in some points," continued Mustapha; "if you
want either a fool or a knave, you have not far to go to find them; but
it is no easy task to select the person you require. I know but one."

"And who is he?"

"One whose head is but as your footstool," answered the barber,
prostrating himself,--"your sublime highness's most devoted slave,
Mustapha."

"Holy Prophet! Then you mean yourself!--Well, now I think of it, if one
barber can become a pacha, I do not see why another would not make a
vizier. But then what am I to do for a barber? No, no, Mustapha; a good
vizier is easy to be found, but a good barber, you know as well as I do,
requires some talent."

"Your slave is aware of that," replied Mustapha, "but he has travelled
in other countries, where it is no uncommon circumstance for men to hold
more than one office under government; sometimes much more incompatible
than those of barber and vizier, which are indeed closely connected. The