Page:Ballantyne--The Pirate City.djvu/250

230 treachery, violence, and bloodshed cannot stand long in—"

"Villain!" shouted ihe Dey.

"Nay, I do but jest," said Baba, with a look of simplicity.

"Jest or no jest, thou shalt smart for it," cried the Dey, whose anger had been greatly roused" Ho! seize him and give him the bastinado, and afterwards bring him hither again."

Two chaouses, who were in attendance in a neighbouring room, at once entered, and, seizing the unfortunate story-teller, hurried him down to an apartment in the palace which was reserved for punishments of various kinds, including strangulation. Here they stripped off Baba's embroidered shoes and white hose.

"We have long been fellow-servants under this roof," said Hadji Baba, as they were about to begin.

"That is true," replied one of the chaouses sternly.

"I shall be forgiven, and depend on it thou shalt not be forgotten," said Baba quietly.

The executioner, who knew that the story-teller had been a man of influence and power in the previous reign, hesitated.

"We have our orders, Hadji Baba," said he remonstratively, "and you know that it is as much as our lives are worth to fail in our obedience."