“Fear not, sir. I flatter myself I shall understand you.” “The king, whose envoy I am, has a daughter as fanciful as she is beautiful, and he is the slave of her lightest caprice. She has read in some writer of this country that the Saracens owe the clearness of their complexion to a peculiar ointment. I am really afraid to tell you of what it is composed.” “Don’t be afraid of anything with me, sir.” “Well, then, they say that one must have, to make it properly, a human head----” “Ah?” said Ali, pushing back his chair; “you are terribly plain to understand,--rest assured of that!” “They assert that for this purpose the heads of the inhabitants of these parts are superior to all others. I have unluckily promised to procure one, and if I fail to keep my word, my own head, for lack of better, will have to serve the princess’s turn. They persuaded me that to ensure the preservation of the beauty of young girls was an act of philanthropy, and I foolishly committed myself to the undertaking. I offer with all my heart one-half of the sum promised me to any one who will assist me out of my scrape.” “And how much have you been promised?” said Ali, bringing his chair to the table again. “A hundred ounces. Do you know any respectable man of business who will undertake to supply such an article as I have named?” “Possibly--but all trouble deserves payment. If I act as your go-between shall I get nothing?” “Your claim is a fair one. I promise you fifty ounces--twenty-five for him, and twenty-five for yourself.” “You shall have what you require.” “To-morrow?” “This evening! But you must pay me half in advance. If you were to change your mind, and leave me with the goods on my hands----” “Between men of honour--” “Between men of honour like us it is right to take precautions.” “Well! There’s the money.” Ali Pépé took the gold, counted it, tried each coin in succession, weighed them with an air of wisdom, and said, quietly, “The money is quite correct; you shall have just the sort of article you want; and, what is more, I’ll throw you the sack in!” With these words he left the apartment. It was Allegrignac’s lunch-time; so the host went up-stairs to the count’s room, and found him plunged in deep thought. “Tell me, Ali Pépé,” said he, “did you ever happen to be married?” “Never, sir. I am the oldest representative of a race which will die with me.” “Then you cannot understand my sufferings!” “Your sufferings, my dear sir?” “My heart is bursting, and I feel I can trust myself with you. Listen to my history, and sympathise with your unhappy guest. My early life was passed in bliss on the shores of the Sarmatian Sea, till one day I met the daughter of the King of Scandinavia. This marvel of the North had a skin as white as snow, hair as golden as sunlight, and she was as plump as a partridge. Her beauty dazzled me, and I swore I would die to serve her----”