But this very circumstance, which at first appeared so
unfavourable, turned out to be advantageous. The General, finding
that he could not have his words translated, ceased to speak in
Italian, and recurred to his accustomed French; he became eloquent.
No one present except myself understood one syllable of what he was
saying, but he had drawn forth his passport, and the energy and
violence with which, as he spoke, he pointed to the graven Eagle of
all the Russias, began to make an impression. The Pasha saw at his
side a man not only free from every the least pang of fear, but
raging, as it seemed, with just indignation, and thenceforward he
plainly began to think that, in some way or other (he could not
tell how) he must certainly have been in the wrong. In a little
time he was so much shaken that the Italian ventured to resume his
interpretation, and my comrade had again the opportunity of
pressing his attack upon the Pasha. His argument, if I rightly
recollect its import, was to this effect: "If the vilest Jews were
to come into the harbour, you would but forbid them to land, and
force them to perform quarantine; yet this is the very course, O
Pasha, which your rash officers dared to think of adopting with
US!--those mad and reckless men would have actually dealt towards a
Russian general officer and an English gentleman as if they had
been wretched Israelites! Never--never will we submit to such an
indignity.
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