“I beg pardon of your sublime highness, but the beauteous princess is not yet married,” said Menouni; “the story is not yet finished.”
“Wallah el nebi!” exclaimed the pacha. “By God and his Prophet, is she never to be married?”
“Yes, your sublime highness, but not just yet. Shall I proceed?”
“Yes, Menouni, and the faster you get on the better.”
Amidst the cries of “Long live Acota, Souffraria’s legitimate king.”
“Legitimate. Pray, good Menouni, what may that word mean?”
“Legitimate, your sublime highness, implies that a king and his descendants are chosen by Allah to reign over a people.”
“Well, but I don’t see that Allah had much to do with the choice of Acota.”