The Boudoir No.1

AN AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY, AND THE HUMOUROUS MISTAKES OF A COUNTRY CORPORATION

During the last century an ambassador from Persia was received in France, which was a circumstance entirely new.

A splendid embassy from any power so distant as that never occurred before.

The Persian ambassador first mentioned knew nothing of the French language, and in consequence made a number of mistakes, the cause of much diversion; as, on coming to Paris, he was offered the use of the king's coach, but refused it, under the idea that he did not choose to be shut up in a box; and he was, besides this, of so fiery a temper, and had so high an opinion of his dignity, that he would often clap his hand to this sabre, and threaten punishment where the least offence was by no means intended.

In a country so polite as that of France, it is not to be supposed but that he met with all the indulgence that could be expected by a person ignorant of their manners. Occasions for these considerations were not few; for one time, as some ladies of the first quality came to see his mode of eating, which was to sit cross-legged upon a carpet upon the ground, he ordered his people to detain them for the purpose of gratifying his amorous inclinations, and seemed much chagrined at being told that in France it was to no purpose to throw the handkerchief to such as did not choose to take it up. Our readers hardly need be told that throwing the handkerchief in the East is the signal to the lady to whom it is directed, indicating that she must immediately attend the privacy of her lord, or the Sultan.

But, to return, Mehemet Rezeh Beg, having refused to make his entry into Paris in a coach, rode on horseback.

Here he appeared like one of the heroes of ancient Xerxes.

His physiognomy was of the first craft for dignity, and his black eyes seemed vivacity itself without the least tincture of levity, which too often accompanies it.

His turban, corresponding with the other parts of his dress, glittered with jewels; but these were in a great measure obscured when he received an audience of the French King, by the brilliancy of the court. His Majesty had on a velvet habit entirely covered with diamonds, and with all the appendages of royalty sat upon a throne elevated for the purpose of displaying his magnificence to the greater advantage; the dauphin, it is to be observed, sat near His Majesty; the Duke of Orleans on the other side, and the princes of the blood according to their different ranks; while the princesses appeared upon an amphitheatre upon the right and left, arrayed in a manner so rich and brilliant, as no doubt to form one of the first spectacles in the world. The ambassador and his suite had now to pass through a lane of courtiers hardly less showy, and, though he was received in the most gracious manner imaginable, he insisted upon kissing the dauphin, and with his sabre in his hand effected it by main force; and though His Majesty every day sent him three sheep, a lamb, forty pounds of rice, butter, milk, amp;c. he ate nothing that was not prepared by his own servants.

But the cream of his proceedings was in the reception he met with in Provence, previous to his arrival at Paris. The corporation of one of the principal towns there, hearing that a deputation had been sent from Marseilles to congratulate him on his entry into that place, were resolved to imitate them, but what to do for an orator to express their sentiments in the Persian language, they knew not. However, after a strenuous search, they found a sailor who had been a long time at Bassora, and, in fine, was just such a person as they wanted.

An oration being drawn up was soon got by heart, and translated by the new spokesman, who, being habited for the purpose, was put at the head of the corporation to address the ambassador on his entrance into the town. But in the delivery of this address, his excellence proved his misfortune; for his language appeared so perfect to the ambassador, that he could suppose him no other than some renegade disciple of Mahomet, a description which ail true believers hold in the utmost contempt, and never fail to chastise to the farthest extent of their abilities.

Under this view, instead of the gracious answer expected by the orator, the ambassador began to upbraid him in the most opprobrious terms: "Wretch!" said he, drawing his cymitar, "confess the truth, or thou this instant losest thy head! Art thou not an apostate from the true faith of the circumcised?"

Not expert enough to give a direct answer to a charge of this kind, the orator used every gesticulation that fear could suggest to appease the other; and as he had previously instructed the corporation to imitate him in ail the compliments he made use of, the rage of the Persian was for some time diverted in seeing the positions of the other scrupulously followed by his attendants, though it was evident to him that in the principal they were entirely directed by the danger which he apprehended from the cymitar which the enraged Persian was waving over the head of the culprit.

This humorous equivoque endured for several minutes; but, as necessity is the mother of invention, it occurred to the trembling orator that nothing could convince the Persian that he was no apostate so much as ocular demonstration, as this would infallibly prove to him that he had not been circumcised. Accordingly, unbuttoning his doublet, he instantly produced his water conveyance! — a proof convincing enough.

But this was not all; the corporation, fearing the danger that threatened them, immediately did the same! A spectacle of this nature may more easily be imagined than described — for to have seen a number of grave magistrates and others in a situation this ludicrous, could only be done justice to by the hand of a Hogarth. It is sufficient to say that the reproach occasioned by this circumstance has become perpetual upon the place, insomuch that it is now proverbial in that part of France, to say that "If you ask a Provencal a question which he cannot answer, he will immediately show you his prick."