UNPLEASANT NEWS.

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CHAPTER XIV.

Unpleasant News. — Disappointment.

Reflections.-Unpropitious Visit.-Mutual Surprise." Sudden, Serious Illness" of a Consul not so Serious as was apprehended.Embarrassing Interview. - Animated Conversation of Mr. Firkins and Mr. O'Statten abruptly terminated.- Brilliant Party of Pleasure. - Mr. Firkins in a Rage.— Ride to the Palace of Mehemet Ali.- Way to make an Impression. — Palace and Guards of the Pacha. — Officers of State. Dress and Address of Mehemet Ali.

WHILE We were taking our coffee the next morning, and throwing out some conjectures with regard to what would be the proper dress to wear, and the etiquette to be observed, in our audience with the Pacha-which, according to the promise of our friend the Dane, was arranged to take place that day -we were greatly pained at the receipt of a note, by the hand of a messenger, stating that the Danish gentleman had been taken suddenly very seriously ill; and that he would not be able to do himself the honour of presenting us to the Pacha, according to the arrangement of yesterday."

Suddenly seriously ill!" said the doctor, as he held the note in his hand; "he must be down with

the plague!"

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186

MORAL REFLECTIONS.

"I hope not," said I, "but I am really grieved to hear that this fine gentlemanly man is indisposed; he appeared so very affable and friendly to us yesterday, and so desirous to do something for our gratification during our short stay in the city, that I have begun to feel a deep interest in the gentleman, and I am very sorry to hear this intelligence of his sudden, serious indisposition."

What seemed to add not a little to our alarm, and to confirm more strongly the circumstance of his serious illness," was, that the note was not written by the gentleman himself, but by another person; thereby carrying the idea upon the face of it, that his "sudden illness" was indeed so "serious" that he was unable to write; and, possibly, far gone with some of those sudden and awful diseases so prevalent in the East.

The doctor observed, that in Egypt, the operation of “sudden, serious" diseases was generally very rapid in progress; insomuch, that very often persons in equally good health as the acting American consul appeared to be yesterday, have been laid in their graves ere twenty-four hours had elapsed thereafter.

"How very true it is," said Mrs. C., "that 'in the midst of life we are in death! No one knows what an hour may bring forth; health is no security against 'sudden' disease, the horrors of death, and the cheerless abode of the grave! How insignificant and vain are all earthly prospects, and how very suddenly may their brightest promise be blasted and withered for ever! Man has verily but a few days to live, and

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is full of sorrow; blooming fresh and beautiful to-day, and to-morrow, perhaps, the places that once knew him will know him never more!"

"Nothing," rejoined the doctor, "can be more true; and it behooves us all to be also ready. We are in a strange land, a land where the mysterious feet of sudden and fearful diseases walk in darkness and waste at noonday. No man, however cautious, is secure against the sudden and fearful attacks of the strange diseases peculiar to this climate and country. Many are the victims that have fallen a sacrifice to them in these desolate, wild, and inhospitable wastes."

66

True," said I; "the present is indeed all we can call our own, and happy will it be for us if we improve it aright. There are, however, certain duties that we owe to our fellow-men, under all circumstances of this existence; and none, perhaps, are more sacred, or strictly enjoined, than those of visiting and ministering to our friends and neighbours in their sicknesses and afflictions. I do not know that we can be of the least service in the world to this Danish gentleman, taken so 'suddenly and seriously ill ;' but we can at least go over to his palace and inquire after the state of his health, and ascertain some particulars, perhaps, in regard to the nature of his disease-which, after all, I am in hopes is not so serious as is apprehended."

Very good," said the doctor; "we can do no less than to call at his office, and inquire how he is."

188

VISIT TO THE AMERICAN CONSULATE.

We accordingly mounted the donkeys which our valiant dragoman had already saddled at the door, and rode over to the palace of the American consulate.

The feather-edge of the new dragoman's grit having been worn off a little, in his quarrels with the donkey-boys, and his feats of valour among the tombs, in our excursion to Pompey's Pillar the day previous, he was more tranquil and mild in his deportment and bearing toward those needful accompaniments to a donkey-ride on this occasion; so that, with the exception of a slight scuffle and a few cuts of the corbash, at starting, nothing took place to interrupt our meditations and serious apprehension for the safety and welfare of our new and valued friend, until we arrived in front of his palace.

Not expecting to have the pleasure, on that day, of meeting the Danish gentleman, after whose health we felt such a natural and anxious solicitude, if indeed we were ever to see him again on this side the grave (for sudden, serious illness, in Egypt, too frequently, alas! ends in sudden death)-we hurried up stairs, and entered the office, without previously sending in our names, as we had done the day before, and as we should have done on this occasion, had it been an ordinary case, or with the least expectation of finding the presiding genius of the American consulate in his "official seat." Judge, therefore, our mutual surprise, at seeing our new friend, about whom we had made ourselves serious over our breakfast, and conjured up so many unhappy forebodings,

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seated at his desk, with his goose-quill behind his ear, in as perfect health, apparently, as ever fell to the lot of a human being to enjoy!

It

In our surprise and joy to see this gentleman so far removed from the danger that we had imagined him to be in from the tenor of the note, we advanced and saluted him in the most cordial manner. seemed like welcoming an estimable being from the jaws of death-from the sorrows of the tomb-and restoring him to the charms and blessings of life. For the moment, the feeling that rushed through our bosoms might not be unlike that glow of tenderness that quickened the pulsations of the parent's heart at the return of the prodigal son, when the fatted calf was killed, and music and dancing gladdened the hearts of the young; and festivity and joy reigned throughout the paternal mansion. We would almost say, that, although "thou wert lost, thou art found again; you are safe, and we rejoice that our idle apprehensions were unfounded."

After the first salutation, and the impulses of the moment had passed, we found that our friend did not appreciate our emotions at all. He seemed to be embarrassed; said nothing about his influence with the Pacha, or of our introduction to him; tried to turn the conversation upon the favourable change of the weather, and other general subjects; but in so uneasy a style, as to render it impossible for him to get on without awkwardness; and his smile seemed to be as embarrassing to him as any thing else. It did not fit his face at all, the features of which had so changed,