would come to the tavern pensive and careworn, and go away as though mountains of care weighed upon him... One day he resolved to learn the secret of this change, and said to him: — Will my friend permit me to ask what troubles him? Muhammad Ali looked at him with the look of a man hesitating to answer, then said: — Listen, Yusuf... I want ten thousand piasters. Yusuf opened his eyes wide and said: — Ten thousand piasters... and what do you need them for? He answered at once: — I want to rule Egypt... He wants to rule Egypt... just like that, in all simplicity... and with ten thousand piasters... No doubt he was joking, or touched in his mind — but would Yusuf dare say that to him? And since an answer had to be given, he said: — May God grant you your wish... but... The ambitious soldier did not let him finish, and said to him: You must procure this money for me, and no excuse will be accepted from you. And he left him and went his way... Yusuf went home sorrowful. He had a wise mother, and she asked him what ailed him... and when he told her the story of the Arnaut she comforted him and said: — Take my jewelry and sell it, and give the man its price, for I see that he will become a man of consequence. And your kindness will not be lost upon him. Muhammad Ali availed himself of Yusuf's money... and carried out a military coup that brought him to power.

... He wished to satisfy his soldiers while the treasury was empty, so he ordered them to plunder the principal commercial markets of the city; and when they had done so, he summoned

the plundered merchants and pledged them full compensation for their looted goods after the passage of a single month, and issued his orders that the state revenues be collected with speed. Before the appointed term drew near, the crier was calling in the markets of the city, summoning everyone to whom Muhammad Ali Pasha owed a debt to come to him and collect it. All the creditors came — except Yusuf. Muhammad Ali had been waiting for him before all the rest... and when he did not appear, he summoned him and said to him:

— All have come and received their debts except you... You were a friend when you lent to me, not

a creditor, and that is why you did not come; and this moves me to be a friend in turn, and I shall repay your debt in full: from this moment I grant you the revenues of the Egyptian customs. So saying, he handed him a notice that the customs money had been paid into the treasury... Nor did he stop at that, but went on: Nor do I forget your mother's kindness... She sold her jewelry to satisfy me, and by her grace I came to power — I owe it to her. And therefore, Yusuf, I open to you the door of my divan: you may come in to me whenever you wish, without asking leave, and every need of yours shall be fulfilled with me...