The two gentlemen returned just as we were on the point of sitting down to dinner with Hajee Ibrahim. "Well," said the minister, addressing the Elchee's relation, "how did you find Sûlimân Khan?" All that had passed was repeated. "Why," said the Hajee, "the Khan must have been drunk." "Very possibly," replied my friend; "all I can say is, he was very polite and very pleasant, and I regret much that he was not drunk at the first visit we paid him."
The Hajee was highly diverted with this reply, which he repeated to the king the same evening; and we learnt that his majesty next day rallied his relation with great effect, telling him Feiz-Ali had said he was "a pleasant companion, and a very polite gentleman, when he was drunk!"
The other occurrence occasioned still more mirth to the "king of kings." A number of the first nobles and ministers solicited, and were permitted, to give dinners to the Elchee. Amongst these was a near relation of his majesty, called Mahomed Hoosein Khan. It was expected that this nobleman would visit the Elchee; but he did not pay this mark of respect. The consequence was, the Elchee wrote to decline the honour of waiting upon him. This caused the greatest confusion: Hajee Ibrahim was sent for several times by the king, and at last brought a message, intimating, that if the Elchee would give way on this occasion, his majesty would deem it a personal favour, and would take care he should never again be placed in such a situation. The Hajee added his own entreaties, saying, "If you do not go, the indignity put upon this proud Kajir chief will be exclusively ascribed to my advice." Consideration for the minister weighed more with the Elchee than all other motives, and he agreed to recall his excuse, stating, that he did so at the express desire of the king.
The Elchee, when he entered the dinner apartment, though he must have known his host by the dignified distance at which he sat from his guests, nevertheless, choosing to mark the absurdity of going to dine with a man with whose person he was unacquainted, turned to the mehmandar, and said, "Which of these Omrâhs is Mahomed Hoosein Khan Doodâkee?" The poor mehmandar was so confounded that he could only answer by pointing to the personage inquired after, who now advanced with an air of offended pride, while the whole assembly looked astounded.