Page:Busbecq, Travels into Turkey (1744).pdf/242

 Day longer: But to return from whence I digressed.

Haly and Rustan were of quite different Humours and Dispositions: Haly lived a blameless Life, free from Sordidness, and never feared that his courteous Deportment would procure him the Sultan's Ill-will; but Rustan, on the contrary, was a Money-monger, Avaritious, and his Conscience hing'd at his Purse-strings. Rustan's Conferences with me were very short and concise; but Haly would spin out Time on purpose; and, that he might entertain me the longer, he would season his Discourse with a great deal of Facetiousness; insomuch that the Turks, who attended on the account of Business or otherwise, would murmur and grumble that he spent so much Time with me, thereby they had not convenient Opportunity to transact their own Concerns with him. And the Truth is, there was somewhat of Mortification to my self in it too; for I usually was sent for to him in the Afternoon, and I went Fasting, that I might be readier to deal with so acute a Man. In our Conferences he pressed this as a principal Point, that each of us would propose that which we thought most conducive to the service of our respective Masters. He knew his Master desired Repose in his old Age, which was sated with Success and Victory; and he thought my Master also desired Peace and Quietness; and therefore, if he studied the Tranquillity or his Realm, he should by no means rouse a sleeping Lion. The minds of Princes, says he, are like Looking-glasses having no innate Shape, yet the Shapes of all Objects pass through them; so Princes Souls, free of themselves, are impress'd by the Images of all Things, as they are represented; and therefore we must lay nothing before them, but what stands to their Reason: For as good Cooks temper their Sauces, not to