At last the monarch seemed to have resolved upon some plan, whereby
he hoped to relieve himself from the dilemma that so seriously
annoyed him. He was most expert at disguises; indeed, it was often
his custom to walk the streets of his capital incog, or to ride out
unattended, in a plain citizen's dress, as we have seen, that he
might the better observe for himself those things concerning which
he required accurate information. It was then nothing new for him to
don the dress of an officer of the household guard; and in this
costume he visited Aphiz in his cell, representing himself to be the
agent of the Sultan.

"I come as an agent of the Sultan," he said, as the turnkey
introduced him to the cell.

"The Sultan is very gracious to remember' me; what is his will?"
asked the prisoner.

"He has a proposition to offer you, to which, if you accede, you are
at once free to go from here."

"And what are these terms?" asked Aphiz, with perfect coolness.

"That you instantly leave Constantinople, never again to return to
it."

"Alone?"

"Except that he will fill a purse with gold for thee to help thee on
thy homeward way."