Page:The Writings of Prosper Merimee-Volume 3.djvu/171

149 THE ETRUSCAN VASE 149

Napoleon. ' Ah! what a great man Bounabardo was I ' he said to me ; ' Bounabardo,' that is how he pronounces Bonaparte."

" Giourdina, meaning Jourdain," murmured Themines.

" At first," continued Theodore, " Mohamed Ali was extremely reserved with me. All the Turks are very suspicious, you know, and he took me for a spy, or a Jesuit, the devil he did! He had a perfect horror of Jesuits. But, after several visits, he recognised that I was an un- prejudiced traveller, anxious to inform myself at first hand of Eastern manners, customs and pohtics. Then he unbosomed himself and spoke freely to me. At the third and last audience he granted me I ventured to ask His Excellency why he did not make himself independent of the Porte. 'By Allah!' he replied, 'I wish it in- deed, but I fear the Liberal papers which govern your country would not support me if I pro- claimed the independence of Egypt.' He is a fine old man, with a long white beard. He never smiles. He gave us some first-rate confections; but the gift that pleased him most of all I of- fered him was a collection of costumes of the Imperial Guard by Charlet."

" Is the Pasha of a romantic turn of mind? '* asked Themines.