MR. JOUR. You will oblige me greatly; may I know what business brings you here? COV. Since my acquaintance with your late father--a perfect gentleman, as I was telling you--I have travelled to the end of the world. MR. JOUR. To the end of the world? COV. Yes. MR. JOUR. I suppose it is a very far-off country. COV. Very far off. I only returned four days ago, and owing to the interest I take in all that concerns you, I have come to give you the best news possible. MR. JOUR. What can it be? COV. You know that the son of the Grand Turk is here. [Footnote: There seems to have been a Turkish envoy in Paris at that time.] MR. JOUR. No, I didn't know. COV. You didn't know! He has a most magnificent retinue of attendants. Everybody goes to see him, and he has been received in this country as a personage of the greatest importance. MR. JOUR. Indeed? I have heard nothing of it. COV. What is of great concern to you is that he is in love with your daughter. MR. JOUR. The son of the Grand Turk? COV. Yes, and that he wishes to, become your son-in-law. MR. JOUR. My son-in-law, the son of the Grand Turk! COV. The son of the Grand Turk your son-in-law When I went to see him, as I understand his language perfectly, we had a long chat together; and after having talked of different things, he told me, _Acciam croc soler onch alla moustaph gidelum amanahem varahini oussere carbulath_? that is to say, "Have you not seen a beautiful young girl who is the daughter of Mr. Jourdain, a nobleman of Paris?" MR. JOUR. The son of the Grand Turk said that of me? COV. Yes. Then I answered him that I knew you perfectly well, and that I had seen your daughter. Ah! said he, _marababa sahem_! which is to say, "Ah! how much I love her!" MR. JOUR. _Marababa sahem_! means, "Ah! how I love her!" COV. Yes. MR. JOUR. Indeed, you do right to tell me; for I should never have known that _Marababa sahem_! meant, "Ah I how much I love her!" This Turkish language is admirable. COV. More admirable than you would ever imagine. For instance, do you know what _Cacaracamouchen_ means? MR. JOUR. _Cacaracamouchen_? No. COV. It means, "My dear love." MR. JOUR. _Cacaracamouchen_ means, "My dear love"? COV. Yes. MR. JOUR. It is wonderful! _Cacaracamouchen_, "My dear love." Who would ever have thought it? I am perfectly astounded. COV. In short, in order to end my embassy, I must tell you that he is coming to ask your daughter in marriage; and in order to have a father-in-law worthy of him, he wants to make you a _mamamouchi_, which is a great dignity in his country. MR. JOUR. _Mamamouchi_? COV. _Mamamouchi_; that is to say in our own language, a paladin. Paladin, you know those ancient paladins; in short, there is nothing more noble than that in the whole world, and you will take rank with the greatest lords upon the earth. MR. JOUR. The son of the Grand Turk honours me greatly, and I beg of you to take me to his house, that I may return him my thanks.