Volume I Part 41 (2/2)
The Bailo Dona, who had known him intimately in Venice, desired me to be the bearer of all his friendly coret at not being able to make his acquaintance
The second day after et to send a janissary according to his pro when the janissary called for me, I followed him, and this tiuests soon arrived, and we sat down to dinner, eight of us, all well disposed to be cheerful and happy The dinner was entirely French, in cooking and service; his steward and his cook were both worthy French renegades
He had taken care to introduce uests and at the saivebefore dinner was nearly over The conversation was entirely kept up in Italian, and I rele word in their own language, even to say the uest had near hiht have contained either white wine or hydromel; all I know is that I drank, as well as M de Bonneval, next to whouests got me on the subject of Venice, and particularly of Roion, but not upon dogical questions were alone discussed
One of the guests, as addressed as effendi, because he had been secretary for foreign affairs, said that the ambassador from Venice to Rohest manner I told him that I shared his adiven me a letter of introduction for a Turkish nobleman, whom he had represented as an intimate friend He enquired for the name of the person to whom the letter was addressed, but I could not recollect it, and took the letter out of hted when he found that the letter was for hied leave to read it at once, and after he had perused it, he kissed the signature and came to embrace me This scene pleased M de Bonneval and all his friends The effendi, whose name was Ismail, entreated the pacha to coall the politeness of the effendi, I was particularly interested during our char dinner in a fine elderly man of about sixty, whose countenance breathed at the saacity and the ain the saadin, a Venetian senator of whoth e coentlereatest attention, but without uttering one word In society, a eneral appearance excite your interest, stily your curiosity if he re-room I enquired from de Bonneval who he was; he answered that he ealthy, a philosopher, a reat purity of ion He advised me to cultivate his acquaintance if he made any advances to me
I was pleased with his advice, and when, after a walk under the shady trees of the garden, we returned to a drawing-room furnished in the Turkish fashi+on, I purposely took a seat near Yusuf Ali Such was the name of the Turk for whoraceful ht to me by one of M de Bonneval's servants Whenever I have been ast smokers I have smoked or left the roo the smoke of the others, and that idea which is true and unpleasant, disgusted me I have never been able to understand how in Germany the ladies, otherwise so polite and delicate, could inhale the suffocating fumes of a crowd of smokers
Yusuf, pleased to have me near him, at once led the conversation to subjects similar to those which had been discussed at table, and particularly to the reasons which had induced ive up the peaceful profession of the Church and to choose a ratify his curiosity without losing his good opinion, I gave him, but with proper caution, some of the particulars of my life, for I wanted him to be satisfied that, if I had at first entered the career of the holy priesthood, it had not been through any vocation of mine He seemed pleased with my recital, spoke of natural vocations as a Stoic philosopher, and I saw that he was a fatalist; but as I was careful not to attack his system openly, he did not dislikeenough to overthrow thereat estee his disciple; it was not likely that he could entertain the idea of beco ion
After spending an hour in exa to my principles, he said that he believed me fit to know the real truth, because he saw that I was seeking for it, and that I was not certain of having obtained it so far He invitedthe days when I would be certain to find him at home, but he advisedhis invitation I told him that the pacha had already hly of his character; he seemed much pleased I fixed a day for my visit, and left him
I inforhted, and promised that his janissary would be every day at the Venetian palace, ready to execute ratulations of the baili upon the excellent acquaintances I had already lect such friends in a country where weariness of life was ue
On the day appointed, I went early to Yusuf's palace, but he was out His gardener, who had received his instructions, shewed reeably for two hours in doing the honours of his arden, where I found the ardener was a Neapolitan, and had belonged to Yusuf for thirty years His manners made me suspect that he ell born and well educated, but he told ht even to read, that he was a sailor when he, was taken in slavery, and that he was so happy in the service of Yusuf that liberty would be a punishment to him Of course I did not venture to address hiht have put one out on horseback; he returned, and, after the usual compliments, we dined alone in a summerhouse, from which we had a fine view of the sea, and in which the heat was cooled by a delightful breeze, which blows regularly at the same hour every day froood dinner; there was no prepared dish except the cauroman, a peculiar delicacy of the Turks
I drank water and hydromel, and I told Yusuf that I preferred the last to wine, of which I never took ood, and the Mussul wine do not deserve any indulgence; I believe they drink wine only because it is forbidden” ”Many of the true believers,” he answered, ”think that they can take it as a ue as a medicine, and it has been the cause of his fortune, for he has captivated the favour of his master who is in reality constantly ill, because he is always in a state of intoxication” I told Yusuf that in my country drunkards were scarce, and that drunkenness was a vice to be found only a the lowest people; he was much astonished ”I cannot understand,” he said, ”ine is allowed by all religions, when its use deprives ions,” I answered, ”forbid excess in drinking wine, and the crime is only in the abuse” I proved hi him that opium produced the same results as wine, but ht to have forbidden the use of it He observed that he had never taken either wine or opium in the course of his life
After dinner, pipes were brought in and we filled the with pleasure, but, at the sa Yusuf, who s, said,--
”The tobacco you are now sht to s its balsam which is ht; s cannot be truly enjoyed without the best tobacco”
”That is true to a certain extent, but the enjoyood tobacco is not the principal pleasure, because it only pleases our senses; true enjoyment is that which works upon the soul, and is completely independent of the senses”
”I cannot realize pleasures enjoyed by the soul without the instrumentality of the senses”
”Listen to me When you fill your pipe do you feel any pleasure?”
”Yes”
”Whence does that pleasure arise, if it is not froo further Do you not feel pleased when you give up your pipe after having s is left but some ashes?”
”It is true”
”Well, there are two pleasures in which your senses have certainly nothing to do, but I want you to guess the third, and the most essential”