" Officialdom distrusts genius--perhaps
rightly; and Burton was a wayward genius indeed. However, at Trieste
he could hardly get into hot water. The post was a purely commercial
one; there was no work which called for any collision with the local
authorities. Austria, the land of red tape, was very different to Syria.
There was no Wali to quarrel with; there were no missionaries to offend,
no Druzes or Greeks to squabble with; and though there were plenty of
Jews, their money-lending proclivities did not come within the purview
of the British Consul, and the Austrian authorities would have resented
in a moment the slightest meddling with their jurisdiction. But if
Burton could do no harm, he could also do little good; and his energies
were cribbed, cabined, and confined. On the other hand, he was following
at Trieste a distinguished man in Charles Lever, and one who, like
himself, had literary tastes. It is impossible to deny that Lord
Granville showed discrimination in appointing him there at the time.
Trieste was virtually a sinecure; the duties were light, and every
liberty was given to Burton. He was absent half his time, and he paid
a vice-consul to do most of his work, thus leaving himself ample leisure
for travel and his literary labours. If his lot had been thrown in a
more active sphere, his great masterpiece, _Alf Laylah wa Laylah (The
Arabian Nights)_, might never have seen the light.
Isabel and her husband lost no time in making preparations for their
departure.
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