Mustapha made his appearance in the afternoon, and the pacha smoked his pipe for some time, and appeared as if communing with himself; he then laid it down, and clapping his hands, desired one of the slaves to inform his favourite lady, Zeinab, that he desired her presence. Zeinab entered with her veil down. "Your slave attends the pleasure of her lord." "Zeinab," said the pacha, "do you love me?" "Do not I worship the dust that my lord treads on?" "Very true--then I have a favour to request--observe, Zeinab--it is my wish that"--(here the pacha took a few whiffs from his pipe--) "The fact is--I wish you to dishonour my harem as soon as possible." "Wallah sel Nebi!!--by Allah and the Prophet! your highness is in a merry humour this evening," replied Zeinab, turning round to quit the apartment. "On the contrary, I am in a serious humour; I mean what I have said; and I expect that you will comply with my wishes." "Is my lord mad? or has he indulged too freely in the juice of the grape forbidden by our prophet? Allah Kebur! God is most powerful--The Hakim must be sent for." "Will you do as I order you?" said the pacha, angrily. "Does my lord send for his slave to insult her! My blood is as water, at the dreadful thought!--Dishonour the harem!--Min Allah! God forbid!--Would not the eunuch be ready and the sack?" "Yes, they would, I acknowledge; but still it must be done." "It shall not be done," replied the lady:--"Has my lord been visited by heaven? or is he possessed by the Shitan?"--And the lady burst into tears of rage and vexation as she quitted the apartment. "There's obstinacy for you--women are nothing but opposition. If you wish them to be faithful, they try day and night to deceive you; give them their desires and tell them to be false, they will refuse. All was arranged so well, I should have cut off all their heads, and had a fresh wife every night until I found one who could tell stories; then I should have rose up and deferred her execution to the following day." Mustapha, who had been laughing in his sleeve at the strange idea of the pacha, was nevertheless not a little alarmed. He perceived that the mania had such complete possession, that, unless appeased, the results might prove unpleasant even to himself. It occurred to him, that a course might be pursued to gratify the pacha's wishes, without proceeding to such violent measures. Waiting a little while until the colour, which had suffused the pacha's face from anger and disappointment, had subsided, he addressed him: