6- The Bang Eater and the Cauzee - Page 2

"Bashaw!" continued
the fisherman, "if I choose I can strike off thy head." "I know
it," returned the cauzee, "but at present I am not worth
beheading; give me first a rich government, that I may be worth
punishing." "Thou sayest true," answered the fisherman; "I must
make thee fat before thou wilt be fit for killing."

The sultan laughed at their extravagancies, and said to his
vizier, "I will amuse myself with these vagabonds to-morrow
evening:" then rising up, he and his minister departed.

The next evening the cauzee and the fisherman indulged themselves
as before, and while they were making merry, the sultan and his
vizier entered, but in different disguises from those they had
worn on the former night. They brought with them a strong
confection of opium, which they presented to their hosts, who,
highly delighted, greedily devoured it, and such were the effects
that they became madder than ever. At length, the fisherman
starting up, exclaimed, "The sultan is deposed, and I am
sovereign in his stead." "Suppose the sultan should hear thee,"
replied the prince. "If he opposes me," cried the fisherman, "I
will order my bashaw to strike off his head; but I will now
punish thee for thy insolent question." He then ran up and seized
the sultan by the nose, the cauzee at the same time attacking the
vizier: it was with difficulty that they made their escape from
the house.

The sultan, notwithstanding his tweak by the nose, resolved to
divert himself further with the bang-eaters, and the next evening
putting on a fresh disguise, repaired to the cauzee's house with
his vizier; where he found the happy companions in high glee.
They had taken it into their heads to dance, which they did with
such vehemence, and for so long a time, that at length they fell
down with fatigue. When they had rested a little, the fisherman
perceiving the sultan, said, "Whence comest thou?" "We are
strangers," replied the sultan, "and only reached this city to-
night; but on our way through the streets, hearing your mirth, we
made bold to enter, that we might participate it with you. Are ye
not, however, fearful lest the sultan should hear you on his
rounds, and punish you for an infringement of the laws?" "How
should the sultan hear us?" answered the fisherman; "he is in his
palace, and we in our own house, though, perhaps, much merrier
than he, poor fellow, with the cares of state upon his mind,
notwithstanding his splendour."

"How comes it," rejoined the sovereign, "that you have not
visited the sultan? for you are merry fellows, and I think he