Tombstone epitaph., 1915-05-23

| dive should not be informed that l in- | terest myself in the negotiation from | the point of view l have spoken of. | The fact is he went on, assuming more confidential tone, that diff | culty has already arisen between the I Suez Canal company and the khedive, | of which should be glad to avoid the repetition. Last year, owing to cer- ! tain differences with the British gov ! ernment on a question of tolls, the [ company was obliged to threaten to ! close the canal to their ships of war. ! No sooner was this threat made known. than Ismail Pasha took it upon ! himself to interfere. in his character of the principal shareholder. and to | strenuously forbid the company to adopt any such course. We have req son to think that this action was the result of representations by the Brit ish government through their envoy; and you will agree with me that this is a form of pressure which could no longer be brought to bear if the shares of the company were held by private | Frenchmen.
 1 De Lesseps smiled and nodded. The minister gave ne a look of intelli- gence.
 You have exactly comprehended the position he was good enough to | say. and l see that we did not do wrong to select you. Now go and make your preparations to start as | quickly as posslble-and be careful not ! to come near the Quai DOrsay till the whole thing has been arranged.
 T bowed, and made by adieu. With i in week was in Cairo
 'I was provided with letters of in troduction which speedily obtained for me a private interview with ismail | Pasha The character of this khediye | is well known His reckless extrav- | aganCe had reduced his country to bankruptcy, and il was on this extrav- agance that relied as the motive for inducing him 10 accept the offer which l was empowered 10 make.
 The palace at Cairo. in which he received me, was strange mixture of l European and Oriental luxury. Figure ' by myrtle and fountains. leading into saloons which might have been i upholstered from Paris. This bizarre l combination reproduced itself in the ! person of Ismail Pasha. whose swarthy eastern features entrusted strangely with his western attire.
 "I have the honor to wait upon your highness,' l said, as soon as the ceremonial s2lutations had been ex- i changed, on behalf of an influential | syndicate of bankers in Paris, who have charged me 10 lay before you a proposal of some magnitude, and which relates 10 the Suez canal
 T saw his dark eyes glitter as l pronounced this name He responded :norosely:
 II am tired of the Suez canal. NJ. le Baron. 1t has not fulfilled the ex- pectations l was led to form from it, and it is. besides, q cause of many political endorsements. But go on i; explain your proposal
 Thus encouraged. I came boldly to the point.
 Tt is above all a question Of pri. vate finance, l declared. As the khedive of Egypt, your highness en. joys certain rights over the canal which passes through your territories. It is these rights which constitute Sour political relation to it, and they are not affected by the scheme wo are dis cussing. h addition, you are the per sonal proprietor of certain shares in the company which owns the canal. and there is nothing 10 prevent your transferring these shares 10 a suitable purchaser. with the same freedom as any other member of the company.
 An he interrupted. I see what it is you want. You propose to make me an offer for some of these shares?'
 For the whole of them, your high ness. l returned, lowing.
 What, Do you mean what you say? These shares are worth at the very least one hundred millions.
 That is the sum which is men, tioned in my instructions.
 'Ismail Pasha gazed at me in con sternation.
 But l have never even entertained the idea Of parting with these shares, It is true that find them unremunera- tive. Are you aware that the inter- est on them is deferred?'
 "1 have understood something of the sort, I said carelessly. My duty. however, is merely to ask if your high ness will accept for them the sum which you have just named. My prin- cipals have believed that in con sequence of the unfortunate state of the Egyptian finances, you would prob ably sooner or later consider the ques- ton of realizing the value of this prop erty, and their enterprise has led them to make what is perhaps a premature effort to secure it.
 But 1 do not say that it is- prema- ture. He stopped, and bent his eyes thoughtfully on the ground for some moments.
 have made no attempt as yet to ascertain the value of my shares, he said, peresently. regarding me with a searching look. Perhaps might ob- tain better terms in London, if 1 were