Arabian Nights (Barnes & Noble Classics Series)

O GREAT KING, I was not born in any spot within the limits of your empire. I am a stranger; a native of Cairo in Egypt, of Coptic parents, and by religion a Christian. My father was a corn dealer by trade, and had amassed a large fortune, which he left to me when died, and I continued to carry on his business. One day, when I was in the public corn-market at Cairo, which is frequented by those who he deal in all sorts of grain, a young and handsome merchant, richly dressed, and mounted upon an ass, accosted me. He saluted me, and opening a handkerchief in which he had a sample of sesamè, he showed it to me, and inquired how much a large measure of grain of a similar quality was worth. I examined the sample which the young merchant had put into my hands, and told him that, according to the present price, a large measure was worth a hundred drachms of silver. Then he said, ‘Find me a merchant who will buy it at that price, and come to the gate called Victory, where you will see a khan standing apart from every other house, and I will wait for you there.’ Thereupon he went away, and left me the sample of sesamè, which I showed to different merchants on the spot. They all said they would take as much as I would sell them at one hundred and ten drachms of silver a measure; and at this rate I should gain ten drachms for each measure sold.

“Elated at so large a profit, I went directly to the gate called Victory, where the merchant was waiting for me. He took me into his warehouse, which was full of sesamè. I had the heap measured, and there were about fifty large measures. I then loaded the corn upon asses, and went and sold it for five thousand drachms of silver. Then the young man said to me, ‘You have a right, according to our agreement, to five hundred drachms of this money, at the rate of ten drachms a measure; the rest belongs to me, but as I have no immediate use for it, go and put it by for me till I shall come and demand it of you.’ I told him it should be ready at any time when he came for it or sent any one to demand it. I kissed his hand, and he left me; and I went home very well satisfied with his generosity.

“A whole month passed without my seeing him; at the end of that time he appeared. Then he said: ‘Where are the four thousand five hundred drachms of silver which you owe me?’ ‘They are all ready,’ I replied, ‘and I will immediately count them out to you.’ As he was mounted upon an ass, I requested him to alight and do me the honour to eat with me before he received his money. ‘No,’ he answered, ‘I have not time. I have some urgent business which requires my presence, and therefore I cannot stay; but on my way back I will call for my money.’ So saying he went away. I waited for him a long time, but it was to no purpose, for he did not return till a month afterwards. ‘This young merchant,’ thought I to myself, ‘places a deal of confidence in me, to leave the sum of four thousand five hundred drachms of silver in my hands without knowing anything of me. Any one but he would certainly fear I should make away with the money.’ At the end of the third month I saw him come back mounted upon the same ass, but much more magnificently dressed than he had been before.

“As soon as I perceived the young man, I went out to meet him. I entreated him to alight; and asked whether he wished me to count out the money which I had in trust for him. ‘Never mind that,’ he replied, in a lively and contented manner; ‘I am in no hurry. I know it is in good hands; and I will come and take it when I have spent all I now have, and there is nothing left. Farewell,’ he added; ‘expect me again at the end of the week.’ At these words he gave his ass a stroke with his whip, and was out of sight in a moment. ‘This is excellent,’ said I to myself; ‘he has told me to expect him in a week, and yet, if I may judge from his conversation, I may not see him for a long time. Why should not I, in the meantime, make some use of his money? It will be of considerable advantage to me.’

“I was not mistaken in my conjecture; for a whole year passed before I heard anything of the young man. At the end of that time he again appeared, as richly dressed as when he last came; but it seemed to me that there was something which affected his spirits. I entreated him to honour me by entering my house. ‘I agree to do so for this once,’ he replied; ‘but it is only on condition that you put yourself to no additional trouble or expense on my account.’ ‘I will do exactly as you please,’ I said, ‘if you will favour me by coming in.’ He immediately alighted, and came in with me. I then gave orders for refreshments; and while my servants were making ready, we entered into conversation; and, when the repast was served, we sat down to table. Directly he began to eat, I observed he fed himself with his left hand, and I was much astonished to observe that he never made use of his right. I knew not what to think of it, and said to myself, ‘From the very first moment I have known this merchant, I have always seen him behave with the greatest politeness; it is impossible that he can act thus out of contempt for me. What can be the reason that he makes no use of his right hand?’ This matter continued to puzzle me extremely.

“When the repast was over, and my servants had cleared everything away and left the room, we went and sat down on a sofa. I then offered my guest a very excellent kind of lozenge. He took it; but still with his left hand. ‘I entreat you, sir,’ I cried at last, ‘to pardon the liberty I take in asking you how it happens that you always make use of your left hand, and never of the right: some accident surely has happened to you?’ At this speech of mine he gave a deep sigh, and instead of answering me, he drew out his right arm from his robe, under which he had till now quite concealed it, when I saw to my utter astonishment that his hand had been cut off! ‘You were much shocked,’ he said, ‘at seeing me eat with my left hand; but you now see I could not do otherwise.’ ‘May I inquire,’ I asked, ‘how you had the misfortune to lose your right hand?’ At this request he began to shed tears: after some time, however, he told the following history:—

“ ‘I must in the first place inform you,’ said the young man, ‘that I am a native of Baghdad. My father was extremely rich, and one of the most eminent men, both as to rank and possessions, in that city. I had hardly begun to take part in the business of the world, when I was struck with the accounts which many people who had travelled in Egypt gave of the wonderful and extraordinary sights to be seen in that country, and particularly in Grand Cairo. Their conversation made a deep impression on my mind; and I became very anxious to journey thither. But my father would not give me permission. He at length died; and, as his death left me master of my own actions, I resolved to go to Cairo. I directly invested a large sum of money in the purchase of different sorts of the fine stuffs and manufactures of Baghdad and Moussoul, and began my travels.

“ ‘When I arrived at Cairo I stopped at a khan, which they call the khan of Mesrour. I took up my abode there, and also hired a warehouse, in which I placed the bales of merchandise I had brought with me on camels. When I had arranged this business I retired to my chamber, to rest myself and recover from the fatigue of my journey. In the meantime my servants, to whom I had given some money, went and bought some provisions, and began to dress them. After I had satisfied my hunger, I went to see the castle, the mosques, the public places, and everything else that was worthy of notice.

“ ‘The next morning I dressed myself very carefully; and took from my bales some very beautiful and rich stuffs, which I purposed carrying to a bazaar, to know what buyers would offer me for them. I gave these pieces of stuff to some of my slaves, and we went to the bazaar of the Circas sians. I was instantly surrounded by a multitude of brokers and criers, who had been informed of my arrival. I gave specimens of my different stuffs to several criers, who went and showed them all over the place; but no merchant offered me even so much as the original cost of the merchandise and the expenses of the carriage. This vexed me very much, and the criers were witness to my anger and disappointment. ‘If you will depend upon us,’ they said, ‘we will show you how you may lose nothing by your stuffs.’ I asked them what method I should adopt to sell my goods to advantage. They replied thus:—‘Distribute them among different merchants, who will sell them in small quantities, and you may come twice every week, and receive the money for which the goods have been sold. By this method you will make some profit, instead of losing anything, and the merchants also will have an advantage in the business. In the meantime you will have opportunity and leisure to walk about and view the town, and to embark upon the Nile.’

“ ‘Having thus arranged all my business, I gave myself up entirely to pleasure and gaiety. I made acquaintance with several young men about my own age, who contributed very much to make my time pass agreeably. When the first month had elapsed, I began to call upon my merchants regularly twice every week, taking with me a proper public officer to examine their books, and a money-changer to ascertain the goodness and different values of the various sorts of money they paid me. In this manner I constantly brought away a considerable sum of money, which I took with me to the khan of Mesrour, where I lodged. This business did not prevent me from going, on the intervening days of the week, to pass the morning sometimes with one merchant, and sometimes with another; and I was much pleased with their conversation, and amused at the various scenes in the bazaar.

“ ‘One Monday, while I was sitting in the shop of one of these merchants, whose name was Bedreddin, a lady, richly attired and of a distinguished air, and accompanied by a female slave neatly attired, entered the shop, and sat down close to me. Her appearance, and a certain natural grace which accompanied her every movement, interested me very much in her favour, and excited a great desire in me to know more of her. I know not whether she perceived that I took a pleasure in beholding her, or whether my attention pleased her or not, but she lifted up the thick crape veil that hung over the muslin which concealed the lower part of her face, and thus gave me an opportunity of seeing her black eyes, by which I was quite charmed. She completed her conquest, and made me quite in love with her, by the pleasant tone of her voice, and by the obliging and modest manner with which she addressed the merchant, and inquired after his health.

“ ‘After she had conversed some time upon various subjects, she told him that she was in search of a particular sort of stuff, with a gold ground. She said that she came to his shop because it contained a better assortment of goods than any in the bazaar; and that, if he had such a thing, he would much oblige her by letting her see it. Bedreddin having spread out a great many different pieces, she at length selected one, and asked the price of it. He said he could afford to sell it her for eleven hundred drachms of silver. ‘I will agree to give you that sum,’ she replied, ‘though I have not the money about me; but I hope you will give me credit for it till to-morrow, and suffer me to carry the stuff home; and I will not fail to send you the eleven hundred drachms in the course of to-morrow.’ ‘Lady,’ answered the merchant, ‘I would gladly give you credit, and you should have full permission to take the stuff home with you, if it belonged to me; but it is the property of this young man, whom you see here, and this is one of the days upon which I must give an account of the money for which his goods are sold.’ ‘How comes it,’ cried the lady, ‘that you treat me in this manner? Am I not in the habit of coming to your shop? And every time I have bought any stuffs you have desired me to carry them home without first paying for them. Have I ever failed to send you the money on the following day?’ The merchant agreed that she was right. ‘It is all very true, lady,’ he answered, ‘but to-day I require the money.’ Thereupon she threw down the stuff in anger, and said: ‘Take your stuff; and may Allah confound you, and all your fellow-merchants, for you are all alike, and have no regard for any one but yourselves!’ So she rose up in a passion, and went away greatly enraged against Bedreddin.

“ ‘When I saw that the lady was gone, I began to feel very much interested about her; and before she was out of hearing I called her back, and said: ‘Lady, I beg you to come back, and perhaps I shall find a way to accommodate and satisfy both you and the merchant.’ She came back, but made me understand that she did this entirely on my account. Then I said to the merchant, ‘How much do you wish to receive for this stuff which belongs to me?’ ‘Eleven hundred drachms of silver,’ he replied; ‘nor can I possibly let it go for less.’ ‘Then give it to the lady,’ said I, ‘and permit her to carry it home. I will give you one hundred drachms for your profit, and you shall have an order to take this sum out of the payments for the other merchandise which you have of mine.’ I immediately wrote the order, signed it, and put it into the hands of Bedreddin. Then presenting the stuff to the lady, I said, ‘O lady, you have now full power to take it away with you; and with respect to the money, you may send it to-morrow, or on the next day; or if you will do me the honour to accept of the stuff, it is quite at your service.’ ‘That,’ replied the lady, ‘is very far from my intention. You have behaved with so much kindness, that I should be unworthy of appearing in the presence of men if I did not prove my gratitude to you. May Heaven increase your fortune, and suffer you to live a long time after I am gone; may the gates of heaven be opened at your death; and may all the city publish the report of your generosity!’

“ ‘This speech gave me courage, and I said to her, ‘Lady, permit me as a favour to see your face.’ At these words she turned towards me, and lifting up the muslin which covered her face, she displayed a countenance of amazing beauty. I was so much struck that I could think of nothing to express the delight I felt. I was unable to take my eyes off her face; but she quickly dropped her veil, for fear any one should perceive her; and, taking up the piece of stuff, she went out of the shop. My mind continued greatly troubled for some length of time. Before I left the merchant, I asked if he knew who the lady was; and he told me she was the daughter of a deceased emir, who had left her an immense fortune.

“ ‘So soon as I had returned to the khan of Mesrour my people brought up supper; but I was unable to eat a morsel. I could not close my eyes during the whole night, which appeared to me of interminable length. As soon as it was day I got up, in hopes that I should again behold the object who had thus disturbed my repose; and with the wish that I might be so fortunate as to please her, I dressed myself still more carefully than I had done the day before. I then returned to the shop of Bedreddin.

“ ‘I had not been there long before I saw the lady approach, followed by her slave. She was much more magnificently dressed than on the preceding day. Paying no attention to the merchant, she addressed herself only to me. ‘You see,’ she said, ‘I have kept my word with you very exactly. I promised to pay the money to-day, and have now come on purpose to bring you the sum for which you had the goodness to trust me, without knowing anything of me. This is an act of generosity I shall never forget.’ I replied, ‘Lady, there was not the least necessity for hurry. I was quite satisfied with respect to my money, and am sorry for the trouble you have given yourself.’ She said, ‘It would not have been just in me to misuse your good-nature.’ And with these words she put the money into my hands, and sat down near me.

“ ‘Taking advantage of this opportunity of conversing with her, I declared to her the love I felt, but she got up and left me so hastily that I believed she was offended at my confession. I followed her with my eyes as long as I could see her, and when she was quite out of sight I took my leave of the merchant, and left the bazaar without knowing whither I went. I was meditating upon this adventure, when I felt some person touch me. I instantly turned round to see who it was, and recognised the young slave belonging to the lady by whom my whole mind was absorbed. I was delighted to behold her. She said: ‘My mistress, the young lady who conversed with you in the shop of the merchant, wishes to speak a few words to you, if you will have the goodness to follow me.’ I instantly went with her, and found her mistress waiting for me in the shop of a money-changer.

“ ‘The lady directly invited me to sit down near her, and said, “Be not surprised that I quitted you just now so abruptly: I did not think it prudent before that merchant to give anything like a favourable answer to the acknowledgment you made of your affection for me. Yet I was not offended at your words: I own to you, it afforded me great pleasure to hear you say that I was not indifferent to you; and I esteem myself happy in having gained the esteem of a man of your worth and merit. I know not what impression the sight of me may have made upon you, but from the very first moment I saw you, I felt a very great inclination towards you. Ever since yesterday morning I have thought of nothing but what you said, and my haste and anxiety to discover you this morning ought to be sufficient to convince you that you are not indifferent to me.’ ‘Madam,’ I exclaimed, transported with love and filled with delight, ‘nothing I could possibly hear would give me half so much pleasure as what you have now had the goodness to say to me. It is impossible for any one to feel a stronger regard than I have felt for you, from that happy moment when my eyes first beheld you. They were quite dazzled with your many charms, and my heart yielded without the least resistance.’ ‘Then,’ she said, interrupting me, ‘let us not lose any time in useless protestations: I do not doubt your sincerity, and you shall immediately be convinced of mine. Will you do me the honour of visiting my house? Or, if you prefer it, I will accompany you.’ ‘Madam,’ replied I, ‘I am quite a stranger in this city, and have only lodgings at a khan, which is by no means a proper place in which to receive a lady of your rank and quality. It will surely be much better that you should have the goodness to acquaint me with your residence, where I shall be delighted to have the honour of waiting upon you.’ The lady consented to this plan. ‘On the day after to-morrow,’ she said, ‘come directly after midday prayers into the street called Devotion-street. You have only to inquire for the house of Abon Schamma, surnamed Bercour, formerly chief of the emirs: at that place you will find me.’ Hereupon we separated; and I passed the whole of the next day in a state of the greatest impatience.

“ ‘When Thursday came, I rose very early, and dressed myself in the handsomest robe I had. I put a purse containing fifty pieces of gold into my pocket, and I set out mounted upon an ass, which I had ordered the day before, and accompanied by the man of whom I had hired it. When we had reached Devotion-street, I desired the owner of the ass to inquire the whereabouts of the house which I was seeking: a bystander immediately pointed it out. I alighted at the door, rewarded the man very liberally, and dismissed him; desiring him at the same time to observe well the house at which he left me, and not to fail to return for me the next morning, to take me back to the khan of Mesrour.

“ ‘I knocked at the door. Two little slaves, as white as snow, very neatly dressed, immediately appeared and opened it. ‘Enter, my lord,’ they said; ‘our mistress has been waiting very impatiently for you. For two whole days she has never ceased talking of you.’ I went into a court, and came to a pavilion, raised about seven steps from the ground, and surrounded with trellis-work, which divided it from a very beautiful garden. Some majestic trees embellished the spot, and sheltered it from the rays of the sun; and a great number of others were loaded with all kinds of fruit. I was charmed with the warbling of a great many birds, whose notes mingled with the murmurs of a fountain that threw its water to a vast height, in the midst of a parterre enamelled with flowers. The fountain also was gorgeous to behold. Four large gilt dragons seemed to guard the four corners of the reservoir, which was exactly square; and these dragons threw up the water in great abundance, in jets clearer and more brilliant than rock crystal. The two little slaves desired me to go into a saloon magnificently furnished; and while one of them went to inform her mistress of my arrival, the other remained with me, and pointed out all the beauties of the saloon.

“ ‘I had not been long in this place before the lady with whom I was so much in love made her appearance, adorned with the finest diamonds and pearls; but the lustre of her eyes was more brilliant than the sheen of her jewels. Her form, now no longer concealed by her walking dress, as when I met her in the city, seemed to me to be the finest and most striking in the world. I can never express to you the delight we felt at again beholding each other; indeed, the most eloquent description would fail to do justice to our feelings. After the first compliments were over, we both sat down on a sofa, where we conversed with the greatest satisfaction. They then served up a repast, consisting of the most delicate and exquisite dishes. We sat down to table, and recommenced our conversation, which lasted till the evening set in. The attendants then brought us some most excellent wine, and some dried fruits well adapted to excite a desire for drinking; and we drank to the sound of instruments, on which slaves played, accompanying the music with their voices. The lady of the house also sang, and thus completely confirmed her conquest. Her song rendered me the most passionate of lovers.

“ ‘As soon as I returned to my khan, I sallied forth again and purchased a lamb and several sorts of cakes, which I sent by a porter as a present to the lady. I then transacted my more important affairs, till the owner of the ass arrived, when I went with him to the lady’s house. She received me with as much joy as she had shown on the day before, and regaled me in quite as magnificent a style. When I left her the next morning I again put a purse containing fifty pieces of gold under the pillow, and returned to the khan of Mesrour.

“ ‘I was ready to give myself up to despair. I went out of my khan, without knowing what I was about, and walked towards the castle, where a great multitude of people had assembled to behold a spectacle given by the Sultan of Egypt. When I came to the post where the crowd was collected, I plunged into the thickest part of it; and by chance I found myself near a gentleman who was well mounted, and very handsomely dressed. To the pommel of his saddle there was fastened a little half-open bag, from which hung a green string. I touched the outside of the bag, and it seemed to me that the green string which hung down belonged to a purse. At the very moment when this thought crossed my mind, a porter carrying a large bundle of wood passed so close to the horseman on the other side of his horse, that he was obliged to turn away, to prevent the wood from touching him and tearing his dress. The devil at this moment tempted me; and laying hold of the string with one hand, while with the other I enlarged the opening of the bag, I drew out the purse unperceived by any. It was very heavy, and I made sure that it was filled either with gold or silver.

“ ‘So soon as the porter had gone past, the person on horseback, who seemed to have had some suspicion of my intention, instantly put his hand into the bag and missed the purse. He gave me such a blow that I fell to the ground. The spectators who saw this violent attack directly began to take my part. Some seized the bridle of the man’s horse, to stop him, and asked him what he meant by thus knocking me down, and how he durst ill-treat a Mussulman. ‘What have you to do with it?’ he answered, in an angry tone. ‘I know what I am about: he is a thief.’ At these words I got up. On seeing me, every one took my part, and said he lied; for it seemed very improbable that a young man of my appearance and manners could be guilty of the infamous crime laid to my charge. In short, the bystanders insisted that I was innocent; but while they were holding my accuser’s horse to favour my escape, unfortunately for me one of the officers of the police came by, accompanied by some of his men. He came up to us and inquired what had happened. Every one immediately accused the man on horseback of having used me ill, under the pretence that I had robbed him.

“ ‘The officer of the police was by no means satisfied with this account. He asked the horseman if he suspected any one besides me of having robbed him. The latter replied in the negative, and informed the officer of the reasons which he had for his suspicions. After he had attentively listened to him, the officer ordered his attendants to seize and search me. They instantly obeyed; and one of them, discovering the purse, held it up to public view. This disgrace was too much for me to bear; I fainted away. The officer of the police then desired that the purse should be brought to him.

“ ‘As soon as the officer had taken the purse, he asked the man on horseback if it belonged to him, and how much money there was in it. The latter immediately knew it to be the purse which had been taken from him, and assured the officer that it contained twenty sequins. The judge instantly opened it, and, finding exactly that sum in the purse, gave it back to the horseman. After this he ordered me before him. ‘Young man,’ said he, ‘confess the truth; acknowledge that you stole the purse; and do not wait till I order you to the torture to make you tell the truth.’ Holding down my head, I reflected within myself that, as the purse was found upon me, they could only consider it as a falsehood and an evasion if I denied the fact. To avoid, therefore, being doubly punished as a liar and a thief, I raised my head and acknowledged that I had taken it. Directly I had made this confession, the officer wrote down the evidence, and ordered my right hand to be cut off. This sentence was executed upon the spot, and excited the compassion of all the spectators; and I observed the accuser himself was moved to pity. The judge, indeed, wished to punish me still farther by cutting off my right foot; but I begged the person from whom I had taken the purse to intercede for me that the judge might remit that part of the sentence. The horseman pleaded for me, and obtained his request.

“ ‘Directly the officer had gone away, the person whom I had attempted to rob came up to me, and offered me the purse, saying: ‘I am convinced that necessity alone compelled you to commit so disgraceful an action, and one so unworthy a young man of your appearance. Here is this fatal purse; take it—and I am truly sorry for the misfortune it has occasioned you.’ With this speech he left me; and as I was very weak and faint from the quantity of blood I had lost, some people who lived in that neighbourhood had compassion on me, and took me home with them, and gave me wine to drink. They also dressed my arm, and put my hand, which had been cut off, in a piece of linen cloth; and I fastened it to my girdle.

“ ‘When I had returned to the khan of Mesrour, I did not find that assistance of which I stood in need. It seemed to me that I should run a great risk by presenting myself to the young lady. I said to myself, ‘She will not wish to see me any more when she hears of the infamous action I have done.’ I nevertheless determined to see her again; and as soon as the crowd who had followed me was dispersed, I went by the most unfrequented streets to her house. When I arrived, I found myself so weak and worn out from pain and fatigue, that I instantly threw myself on a sofa, taking care to keep my right arm under my robe, as I was anxious to hide my misfortune from my friend.

“ ‘In the meantime, the lady being informed of my arrival, and having been told that I seemed very ill, came to me in the greatest haste. She exclaimed, on seeing me pale and faint, ‘My dear lord! what is the matter with you?’ I concealed the real cause of my illness, and told her that I had a most violent headache which very much tormented me. At this she appeared much distressed. ‘Sit down,’ she said, for I had risen to receive her, ‘and tell me how this has happened to you. You were very well the last time I had the happiness to see you here. There is surely something else which you conceal from me. Tell me, I pray you, what it is.’ As I remained silent the tears fell from my eyes. ‘I cannot comprehend,’ she added, ‘what can possibly cause you so much grief. Have I unintentionally given you any offence? Do you come to tell me you no longer love me?’ ‘It is not that, madam,’ I replied; ‘and even a suspicion of the sort augments my misery.’

“ ‘I could not make up my mind to discover the true cause of my illness to her. When evening approached supper was served up. My entertainer entreated me to eat; but as I could only make use of my left hand, I requested her to excuse me, saying I had no appetite. ‘Your appetite will come back,’ said she, ‘if you will unfold to me what you so obstinately conceal. Your distaste doubtless arises from the pain you suffer by remaining silent.’ ‘Alas madam,’ I replied, ‘it is very necessary that I should make that determination and adhere to it.’ I had no sooner said this than she poured me some wine, and presenting it to me, ‘Drink this,’ she replied, ‘it will give you strength and courage.’ I held out my left hand, and took the glass.

“ ‘When I had received the glass, my tears flowed afresh and my sighs increased. ‘Why do you lament and sigh so bitterly?’ said the lady to me. ‘And why do you take the glass in your left hand rather than your right?’ ‘Alas! lady,’ I replied, ‘be not angry with me, I entreat you; for I have a swelling on my right hand.’ ‘Show me this swelling,’ said she, ‘and I will open it for you.’ I excused myself by saying it was not yet ripe; I then drank all the contents of the glass, which was a very large one. The strength of the wine, added to my fatigue and the low state in which I was, soon made me very drowsy, and I then fell into a profound sleep that lasted till the next morning.

“ ‘When I awoke the next morning, I perceived in her countenance the grief that oppressed her; but she did not utter a word to me on the subject, lest she should give me pain. She obliged me both to eat and drink, in order, as she said, to recruit the strength of which I had so much need. I then wished to take my leave of her, but she took hold of my robe and detained me. ‘I will not suffer you,’ she said, ‘to go from hence; for although you will not confess it, I am certain that I am the cause of the misfortune which has happened to you. The grief which I feel will quickly kill me; but before I die I must execute a design which I meditate in your favour.’ Thereupon she ordered some of her people to bring an officer of justice and some witnesses, and on their arrival she made a will, bequeathing all her fortune to me. These people she dismissed, after paying them handsomely for their trouble, and opened a large chest, where all the purses that I had ever brought her since the commencement of our acquaintance had been placed. ‘There they all are,’ said she to me, ‘just as you left them; I have not touched one of them. Here is the key: take it, for they belong to you.’ I thanked her for her kindness and generosity; but she added, ‘I do not reckon this as anything in comparison with what I intend to do for you. Nor shall I be happy until by my death I prove to you how much I love you.’ I conjured her by our mutual love not to contemplate so terrible a design, but I was unable to divert her thoughts from it. The sorrow and chagrin she felt at seeing me maimed brought on a serious illness, which terminated in her death at the end of five or six weeks.

“When the young man of Baghdad had finished his story, he added: ‘What you have now heard ought to be a sufficient excuse for my having eaten in your company with my left hand. I thank you for the trouble you have taken on my account. I cannot sufficiently laud your fidelity and probity; and as I have, praised be Allah! a very plentiful fortune, although I have expended a great deal, I must beg that you will accept as a present the small sum for which you sold the sesamè. I have moreover another proposal to make to you. Unable to remain at Cairo with any comfort or satisfaction to myself, after the melancholy accident that has befallen me, I am resolved to leave it, and never to return. If you choose to accompany me, we will trade as brothers, and we will divide the profits we make.’

“We fixed a day for our departure; and when it came we began our journey. We passed through Syria and Mesopotamia. We travelled over Persia; and, after visiting many cities, we at length came, O sultan, to your capital. After some little time the young man informed me that he had taken the resolution of going back into Persia, and of settling there. We then made up our accounts and separated, perfectly satisfied with each other. He departed, and I remained in this city, where I have the honour of being employed in the service of your majesty. This is the history which I had to relate to you. Does it not seem to your majesty much more surprising than that of the little hunchback?”