philosopher he was, he continued to rejoice in whatsoever was joyous. He
loved beautiful flowers and beautiful women--and he had enough of both
and to spare. His gardens were more splendid than the gardens of Soliman
the Magnificent, and that his Seraglio was no joyless abode was
demonstrated by the fact that so far he was the happy father of
one-and-thirty children.

He must have had exceptionally pleasant dreams last night, or his
favourite Sultana, the incomparably lovely Adsalis, must have
entertained him with unusually pleasant stories, or perchance a new
tulip must have blossomed during the night, for he extended his hand to
everyone to kiss, and when the Berber-Bashi proceeded comfortably to
adjust the cushions beneath him, the Sultan jocosely tapped the red
swelling cheeks of his faithful servant--cheeks which the worthy Bashi
had taken good care of even in the days when he was only a barber's
apprentice in the town of Zara, but which had swelled to a size worthy
even of the rank of a Berber-Bashi, since his lot had fallen in pleasant
places.

"Allah watch over thee, and grant that thy mouth may never complain
against thy hand, worthy Berber-Bashi. What is the latest news from the
town?"

It would appear from this that the barbers in Stambul also, even when
they rise to the dignity of Berber-Bashis, are expected to follow the
course of public events with the utmost attention, in order to
communicate the most interesting details thereof to others, and thus
relieve the tedium invariably attendant upon shaving.

"Most mighty and most gracious One, if thou deignest to listen to the