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CHAPTER 9<br />
9.1 The chief eunuch turned into a burial-ground, through which a way led, by an avenue of<br />
cypress-trees, to the quarter of the Seraglio. The Armenian physician, accompanied by his page,<br />
followed him.<br />
9.2 "Noble sir!" said the Armenian physician; "may I trespass for a moment on your lordship's<br />
attention?"<br />
9.3 "Worthy Hakim, is it you?" replied the chief eunuch, turning round with an encouraging smile of<br />
courteous condescension, "your pleasure?"<br />
9.4 "I would speak to you of important matters," said the physician.<br />
9.5 The eunuch carelessly seated himself on a richly-carved tomb, and crossing his legs with an air<br />
of pleasant superiority, adjusted a fine emerald that sparkled on his finger, and bade the Hakim address<br />
him without hesitation.<br />
9.6 "I am a physician," said the Armenian.<br />
9.7 The eunuch nodded.<br />
9.8 "And I heard your lordship in the coffee-house mention that the Sultan, our sublime Master, had<br />
offered a rich reward to any one who could effect the cure of a favourite captive."<br />
9.9 "No less a reward than one hundred purses of gold," remarked the eunuch. "The reward is<br />
proportioned to the exigency of the cue. Believe me, worthy sir, it is desperate."<br />
9.10 "With mortal means," replied the Armenian; "but I possess a talisman of magical influence,<br />
which no disorder can resist. I would fain try its efficacy."<br />
9.11 "This is not the first talisman that has been offered us, worthy doctor," said the eunuch, smiling<br />
incredulously.<br />
9.12 "But the first that has been offered on these terms," said the Armenian. "Let me cure the<br />
captive, and of the one hundred purses, a moiety shall belong to yourself. Ay! so confident am I of<br />
success, that I deem it no hazard to commence our contract by this surety." And so saying, the Armenian<br />
took from his finger a gorgeous carbuncle, and offered it to the eunuch. The worthy dependent of the<br />
Seraglio had a great taste in jewellery. He examined the stone with admiration, and placed it on his finger<br />
with complacency. "I require no inducements to promote the interests of science, and the purposes of<br />
charity," said the eunuch, with a patronising air. "'Tis assuredly a pretty stone, and, as the memorial of an<br />
ingenious stranger, whom I respect, I shall, with pleasure, retain it. You were saying something about a<br />
talisman. Are you serious? I doubt not that there are means which might obtain you the desired trial; but<br />
the Prince Mahomed is as violent when displeased or disappointed as munificent when gratified. Cure<br />
this Christian captive, and we may certainly receive the promised purses: fail, and your head will as<br />
assuredly be flung into the Seraglio moat, to say nothing of my own."<br />
9.13 "Most noble sir!" said the physician, "I am willing to undertake the experiment on the terms you<br />
mention. Rest assured that the patient, if alive, must, with this remedy, speedily recover. You marvel!<br />
Believe me, had you witnessed the cures which it has already effected, you would only wonder at its<br />
otherwise incredible influence."<br />
9.14 "You have the advantage," replied the eunuch, "of addressing a man who has seen something<br />
of the world. I travel every year to Anatolia with the Prince Mahomed. Were I a narrow-minded bigot, and<br />
had never been five miles from Adrianople in the whole course of my life, I might indeed be sceptical. But<br />
I am a patron of science, and have heard of talismans. How much might this ring weigh, think you?"<br />
9.15 "I have heard it spoken of as a carbuncle of uncommon size," replied the Armenian.<br />
9.16 "Where did you say you lodged, Hakim?"<br />
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