Chamberss Edinburgh Journal, No. 449 | Page 5

purposes, it
was best to say as little as possible about it. His sublime highness was
not altogether satisfied, but comforted himself with thinking that time
would soon throw light on the matter.
At length the day arrived when the bear's proficiency was to be put to
the test. The sultan was seated on a divan in his hall of audience; his
ministers and officers of state stood on either side; and behind him
knelt his Jewish physician, who assumed that position, because,
although he would not have failed, even at the hazard of his life, to be
present, yet he had no strict right to be there; and, moreover, he did not
particularly wish to be seen in the business. All were in breathless
expectation when the Christian procession entered. The patriarch
walked first, with his crosier in his hand; next came Titus, the tutor,
bowed down under the huge lectionary, which he bore upon his back,
secured by leathern straps over his shoulders; then followed Timothy,
leading by a chain the carefully-muzzled pupil. This precaution was
quite necessary; for, having been kept fasting four-and-twenty hours,
the animal was in no good-humour, and would not have been so quietly
brought in, if it had not been closely following the favourite book. But,
in fact, the only trouble which Timothy had, was to prevent his eager
charge from leaping at the volume while it was yet on his tutor's back.
The procession was closed by a porter, bearing the desk, who, under the
direction of Titus, placed it before the sultan, at such a distance as
would conveniently enable the reader to stand between it and his
sublime highness, who might thus see the book over his favourite's
shoulder. Titus himself, thus relieved of his burden by its transfer to the
desk, went round into the reader's place, and opened the ample leaves
of the lectionary; while, to the great amusement of the sultan, Timothy
was exerting his energies to the utmost to keep back the eager pupil.
'He seems fond of his book, however,' said the sultan; 'that looks well.'
And all the circle bowed assent.
At length, having arranged the volume to his satisfaction, Titus
received his pupil from the hands of his colleague. The bear stood up

manfully to his task; but it need scarcely be said, he was sadly
disappointed when he found that, unlike itself, the beloved book
contained no sweets; not a morsel, though the often-travelled,
much-licked, and still-besmeared lines retained the well-known scent
and savour. He ran his nose over one line after another, all down the
first page, then down the second, and then somewhat impatiently turned
the leaf.
'Well,' cried the sultan, 'he certainly seems to take a great interest in it
himself; and he may understand it perfectly, for aught I know; but I
wish he would read aloud. I should like to hear him. Will you be so
good as to tell him so?' he added, addressing the patriarch.
The venerable Mar Yusef was puzzled, and, as people often do when
they are puzzled, he made a bow, but could think of nothing to say.
Titus, however, promptly dropped on his knees between the bear and
the sultan; and addressing the latter, he said: 'Your sublime highness
will hear him presently; be pleased to give him a little time. Let him not
be harshly judged, if he is a little timid and shy. This is his first attempt
in public.'
As he said this, the deacon saw the twinkle of the Jew's eye over the
sultan's shoulder. It was only for a moment, and nobody but Titus
himself knew that he had seen it at all, so intently did he seem to be
occupied in comforting and encouraging--perhaps we should say
exciting, his pupil. The bear, however, being disappointed line after
line, and page after page, and only stimulated and irritated by the scent
and the slight taste which he could get by thrusting the tip of his tongue
through his muzzle, began to growl most awfully, as he still went on
mechanically, line after line, and turned the leaves with increased
rapidity and vehemence. This continued for some time, until the pupil
was evidently getting into a passion, and the tutor was growing rather
nervous, when the sultan shewed a disposition to speak, which Titus
most thankfully interpreted as an intimation that the experiment had
been carried far enough. He instantly quieted his pupil, not so much by
the order which he gave, as by shewing him a honey-cake, which
nobody else saw, handed the chain to Timothy, and prepared to listen.

'As I observed before,' said the sultan, 'he certainly does seem to take a
vast interest in it himself; and I daresay he understands it: but as to