"
"Yes, very true; but I have observed that it is not until after an event
has happened, that they tell you of it. What are these astrologers?
_Bosh_--nothing--I have said." And the pacha remained some time smoking
his pipe in silence.
"May it please your highness," observed Mustapha, "I have outside a
wretch who is anxious to crawl into your presence. He comes from the
far-distant land of Kathay--an unbeliever, with two tails."
"Two tails! was he a pacha in his own country?"
"A pacha! Staffir Allah!--God forgive me! A dog--a most miserable
dog--on my eyes be it; but still he hath two tails."
"Let the dog with two tails be admitted," replied the pacha. "We have
said it."
A yellow-skinned, meagre, and wrinkled old Chinaman was brought in
between two of the guards. His eyes were very small and bleared, his
cheek-bones prominent; all that could be discovered of his nose were two
expanded nostrils at its base; his mouth of an enormous width, with
teeth as black as ink. As soon as the guards stopped, he slipped down
from between them on his knees, and throwing forward his body,
_kow-tow_-ed with his head in the dust nine times, and then remained
with his face down on the floor.
"Let the dog with two tails rise," said the pacha.
This order not being immediately obeyed by the servile Chinaman, each of
the two guards who stood by him seized one of the plaited tails of hair,
which were nearly an ell in length, and pulled up his head from the
floor.
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