Is a pacha to
be fed on water-melons? Staffir Allah! do we believe the less, because
we drink the wine? Slave, bring the pitcher. There is but one God, and
Mahomet is his prophet."
"The words of the prophet, your highness, are plain: he says, 'True
believers drink no wine,' which means, that his followers are not to go
about the streets, drunken like the Giaours of Franguistan, who come
here in their ships. Why is wine forbidden? because it makes men drunk.
If then we are not drunk, we keep within the law. Why was the law made?
Laws cannot be made for all; they must therefore be made for the control
of the majority--Is it not so? Who are the majority? Why the poor. If
laws were made for the rich and powerful, such laws would not suit the
community at large. Mashallah! there are no laws for pachas, who have
only to believe that there is one God and Mahomet is his prophet. Does
your slave say well?"
"Excellently well, Mustapha," replied the pacha, lifting the pitcher to
his mouth for a minute, and then passing it to Mustapha.
"Allah Karim! God is most merciful! your slave must drink; is it not the
pleasure of your highness? As the wine poured down the throat of your
highness, pervades through your whole frame to the extremities, so does
your slave participate in your bounty. Do I not sit in your sublime
presence? Can the sun shine without throwing out heat; therefore if your
highness drink, must not I drink? Allah Acbar! who shall presume not to
follow the steps of the pacha?" So saying, Mustapha lifted up the
pitcher, and, for a minute, it was glued to his lips.
Pages:
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44