12 THE STORY OF THE KHEDIVATE.

with his wont, he allowed the petitioner to tell his story. Its substance was that the complainant had

been over-taxed, robbed, bastinadoed, tortured, and

reduced to beggary by the Governor of the town, because he was unable to pay over and over again taxes which the Governor had no right to impose, and for which, when paid, he refused to give any

receipt. Mahomet Ali's only answer was to ask the applicant what his trade was. On being told that his trade was that of a baker, Mahomet bade him go and heat his oven. After a short absence, the Pasha

returned on horseback, accompanied by the Governor, whose escort he had requested, as a mark of favour ;

and, then and there, he ordered his guards to place the Governor inside the oven, and have the doors closed

upon him. Ghastly as the story reads, the punishment thus inflicted served its purpose. Every Pasha throughout Egypt learnt thereby that under the rule of the Albanian soldier of fortune there was a limit,

beyond which they could not rob and oppress the fellaheen with impunity.

Another incident, whose authenticity is better

vouched for, illustrates this aspect of Mahomet Ali's policy. There had been reports of discontent and dis-

affection in the Arab quarter of Cairo, and one evening

a decree was issued, announcing that any one proved to

have spoken disloyally of the Government, would be hung on the spot. It so happened that the British Consul had asked for an audience of the Viceroy on the day following the issue of the decree. According to