The new Grand Vizier went by the name of Kabakulak, or Blunt-ear,
because he was hard of hearing, which suited Musli exactly, as he had,
by nature, a bad habit of bawling whenever he spoke.
At first Kabakulak would not listen to anything at all. He seemed to
have suddenly gone stone-deaf, and had every single word repeated to him
three times over; but when Musli said to him that if he would not listen
to what he was saying, he, Musli, would go off at once to the Sultan and
tell _him_, Kabakulak opened his ears a little wider, became somewhat
more gracious, and asked Musli, quite amicably, what he could do for
him.
Musli felt his courage rising many degrees since he began bawling at a
Grand Vizier.
"Halil Patrona _commands_ it to be done," he bellowed in Kabakulak's
ear.
The Vizier threw back his head.
"Come, come, my son!" said he, "don't shout in my ear like that, just
as if I were deaf. What did you say it was that Halil Patrona begs of
me?"
"Don't twist my words, you old owl!" said Musli, naturally _sotto voce_.
Then raising his voice, he added, "Halil Patrona wants Dzhanum Choja
appointed Kapudan Pasha."
"Good, good, my son! just the very thing I wanted done myself; that has
been resolved upon long ago, so you may go away home."
"Go away indeed! not yet! Then Wallachia wants a new voivode."
"It has got one already, got one already I tell you, my son. His name is
Maurocordato. Bear it in mind--Mau-ro-cor-da-to.
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