“Shekh Hamam and Ali Bey! says he; why it is a fool, an idiot, and an ass; a fellow that goes begging about, and says he is a saint; but he is a natural fool, full as much knave as fool however; he is a thief, I know him to be a thief.” “If he is a saint, said I, Hagi Hassan, as you are another, known to be so all the world over, I don’t see why I should interfere; saint against saint is a fair battle.”--“It is the Cadi, replies he, and no one else.” “Come away with me, said I, Hassan, and let us see this cadi; if it is the cadi, it is not the fool, it may be the knave.” He was sitting upon the ground on a carpet, moving his head backwards and forwards, and saying prayers with beads in his hand. I had no good opinion of him from his first appearance, but said, _Salam alicum_, boldly; this seemed to offend him, as he looked at me with great contempt, and gave me no answer, though he appeared a little disconcerted by my confidence. “Are you the _Cafr_, said he, to whom that boat belongs?” “No, Sir, said I, it belongs to Hagi Hassan.” “Do you think, says he, I call Hagi Hassan, who is a Sherriffe, _Cafr_?” “That depends upon the measure of your prudence, said I, of which as yet I have no proof that can enable me to judge or decide.” “Are you the _Christian_ that was at the ruins in the morning? says he.” “I was at the ruins in the morning, replied I, and _I am a Christian_. Ali Bey calls that denomination of people _Nazarani_, that is the Arabic of Cairo and Constantinople, and I understand no other.” “I am, said he, going to Girgé, and this holy saint is with me, and there is no boat but your’s bound that way, for which reason I have promised to take him with me.” By this time the _saint_ had got into the boat, and sat forward; he was an ill-favoured, low, sick-like man, and seemed to be almost blind. You should not make rash promises, said I to the cadi, for this one you made you never can perform; I am not going to Girgé. Ali Bey, _whose slave you are_, gave me this boat, but told me, I was not to ship either saints or cadies. There is my boat, go a-board if you dare; and you, Hagi Hassan, let me see you lift an oar, or loose a sail, either for the cadi or the saint, if I am not with them. I went to my tent, and the Rais followed me. “Hagi Hassan, said I, there is a proverb in my country, It is better to flatter fools than to fight them: Cannot you go to the fool, and give him half-a-crown? will he take it, do you think, and abandon his journey to Girgé? afterwards leave me to settle with the cadi for his voyage thither.” “He will take it with all his heart, he will kiss your hand for half-a-crown, says Hassan.” “Let him have half-a-crown from me, said I, and desire him to go about his business, and intimate that I give him it in charity, at same time expect compliance with the condition.”