178 Seven Years in the Soudan.

Everyone at Khartoum, including the partisans of the government, blamed this article, and a reply appeared in the Phare tV Alfxandrie in which I was said to be its inspirer. It was expected that Gordon would revenge himself on me. The little article caused a great coolness between the merchants and officials at Khartoum and myself ; but their behaviour left me altogether indifferent, since I knew Gordon Pasha too well to fear any hostile act on his part.

Gordon arrived and landed at night so as to avoid all official reception. Everyone was ignorant of his advent. In the morning he received Rosset and some other persons. Towards ten a.m. Rosset came into my room, threw a magazine on to the table, and said, " There ! the Governor-General has read everything ! " The magazine contained the famous article of the Esploratore. 1 replied very calmly, " I am glad that His Excellency has read the article, and if His Excellency doubts the truth of what is said, I can furnish proofs." Towards eleven a.m. a janissary sent to me by his Excellency invited me to the Governor's palace. I went immediately and was received with Gordon's usual affability and kindness. He spoke to me a long time about his tour of inspection, begging me also to narrate my adventures. When I had finished, he said he was most ready to aid me in my expedition to the Sobat, but, he added, considering my strained position with the government, he could not give me any high post, fearing the disapproval of the Viceroy. Alluding to the article in question in the Fsploratoi (', he continued, " I know, and you must also OAvn, that Egjpt has not a model government, but if she were capable of administrating her interests herself, do you think I should be in this place ? " Eluding the question, I replied that it was not my