Interpreter. "Your Excellency's request is granted. You have only to obtain the approval of your colleagues."
Minister. "His Majesty is exceedingly gracious, and I am correspondingly obliged to him. Inform His Majesty that the same firm is willing to build him bridges over his rivers, and to make roads between the provinces, which would increase friendly communications, and consequently tend to reduce inter-tribal feuds."
Interpreter. "The Minister thanks our Lord, and wants also to build bridges and roads in the interior to make the tribes friendly by intercourse."
Sultan. "That would never do. The more I keep the tribes apart the better for me. If I did not shake up my rats in the sack pretty often, they would gnaw their way out. Besides, where my people could travel more easily, so could foreign invaders. No, I cannot think of such a thing. God created the world without bridges."
Interpreter. "His Majesty is full of regret that in this matter he is unable to please Your Excellency, but he thinks his country better as it is."
Minister. "Although I beg to differ from His Majesty, so be it. Next there is the question of our commerce with Morocco. This is greatly hampered by the present lack of a fixed customs tariff. There are several articles of which the[page 220] exportation is now prohibited, which it would be really very much in the interest of his people to allow us to purchase."
Interpreter. "The Minister requests of our Lord a new customs tariff, and the right to export wheat and barley."
Sultan. "The tariff he may discuss with the Wazeer of the Interior; I will give instructions. As for the cereals, the bread of the Faithful cannot be given to infidels."
Interpreter. "His Majesty accedes to your Excellency's request. You have only to make known the details to the Minister for Internal Affairs."
Minister. "Again I humbly render thanks to his Majesty. Since he is so particularly good to me, perhaps he would add one kindness more, in abandoning to me the old house and garden on the Marshan at Tangier, in which the Foreign Minister used to live. It is good for nothing, and would be useful to me."