"Ye-es."
"Then hark."
Mr. Figgins did hark, and an awful sound reached him from behind the curtain.
It was more like the expiring groans of a hapless porker in the hands of a ruthless butcher, than any thing else you could compare it to.
A fatal struggle was going on behind the curtain.
Groans and dying wails were heard for awhile.
Awful sounds.
Then all was still.
"Oh, what is it?" murmured the orphan, in distress.
"Squiziz Wizen, the pasha"s executioner, has dealt upon poor Nat Cringle."
"What!" gasped Figgins.
"Bowstrung," returned Captain Deering.
The orphan turned faint.
Then he turned to the door, and would have fled.
"Oh, let me go home," he cried. "I don"t feel happy here."
But Deering stayed him.
"You must not go, Mr. Figgins," whispered Captain Deering.
"Why not?"
"His excellency is about to address us."
The pasha coughed.
"_Quel est votre jeu?_" demanded his excellency.
"What does he say?" asked Figgins.
"Batta pudn," continued his excellency, with a gracious air; "also bono Jonni."
"He says you may present whatever you have brought," whispered the captain.
"I"ve brought nothing," returned Mr. Figgins.
"Nothing?"
"No; I forgot."
"Thoughtless man," said Captain Deering. "Take this."
He thrust a parcel of brown paper into his hands.
"What shall I do with it?"
"Place it on the cushion before his excellency."
Mr. Figgins complied.
"Luciousosity," said the pasha, looking upon the offering greedily.
Then he clapped his hands vigorously three times.
The minister appeared, leading two veiled ladies.
The pasha made some remarks in his own language, which Captain Deering was commissioned to render into English.
"His excellency, recognising your generous offering," said he, "presents you with the choicest gifts of his seraglio, two wives. You must cherish them through life."
The orphan"s countenance fell at this.
The capital punishment of poor Nat Cringle was as nothing to this.
"Tell him I"d rather not take two," he whispered to Deering.
"Why not?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed the latter.
"I wish to live single."
The bearded minister approached, leading the two veiled beauties.
"Oh! oh, dear," groaned the poor orphan.
He placed a gloved hand of each upon Mr. Figgins"s shoulders.
Then, upon a given signal, they threw their arms around the orphan and hugged him, while a violent cachinnation was heard.
"What a lovely smile," said Captain Deering. "Did you hear it?"
"Oh! Please don"t," cried the orphan.
He struggled to get free.
But the beauties of the seraglio held him tight.