Part 39 (1/2)
”The next night, to reat annoyance, they aroused ain didfor their de eaten and drunk until they were intoxicated, they went away, and I hoped to see the in their observations upon the new decree of your highness, relative to the shutting up of the baths”
”Proceed, good Yussuf”
”The third night they again ca the my house a tavern, I hoped that they would coht, and then behavedout for wine and rakee until I could bear it no er receive them The fat-stomached one, whom I have before mentioned, then rose, and said, 'Yussuf, we have proved your hospitality, and we thank you No one would have received three such ill-favoured persons, and have regaled them for the love of God, as you have done We will noard thee Thou art a beeldar of the palace, and ill now present thee with the sword of justice, which has been lost since the days of the great Soloe not by its outward appearance When couilty, the sill flash like fire, and never fail: but should he be innocent, it will become a harmless lath of wood' I took the present, and was about to return thanks, when the three ill-favoured Moussul s, and vanished”
”Indeed, this is a strange story--what, did the big-bellied fellow look like an angel?”
”As an angel of light, O caliph”
”What, and the weazen-faced negro?”
”Like a houri, O caliph”
”Well, then,” replied the caliph, ”you shall now, Yussuf, try the power of this wonderful sword Strike off that criminal's head”
Yussuf returned to the robber, who re out with a loud voice, ”O sword, if this uilty, do thy duty; but if he be, as he has declared in his dying moments, innocent, then become thou harmless” With these words Yussuf drew his sword, and exhibited a lath of pal unjustly condeht to be set free”
”Most certainly,” replied the caliph, delighted with the manoeuvre of Yussuf, ”let him he liberated Chief of the beeldars, we cannot part with a man, who, like Yussuf; possesses so famous a weapon Let there be ten more beeldars appointed, and let Yussuf have the command of them as chief, with the same perquisites and salary as the other chiefs”
Yussuf prostrated hiood fortune, and as he retired, he exclaimed, ”I am Yussuf, my trust is in God Allah preserve the three Moussulbefore the caliph, Giaffar, and Mesrour, appeared again as the merchants to Yussuf, and heartily enjoyed his discomfiture and confusion, when they discovered themselves Still Yussuf enjoyed the favour of Haroun to the end of his life, and was more fortunate than Giaffar and others, who only once fell under the wrath and suspicion of the all-powerful caliph
”Such, O pacha, is the history of Yussuf, the water-carrier”
”Yes, and a very good story too Have you not another, Menouni?”
”Your highness,” replied Mustapha, ”the caravan will depart at break of day, and Menouni has but three hours to prepare It can no longer be detained without the chiefa report to the authorities, which would not be well received”
”Be it so,” replied the pacha; ”let Menouni be rewarded, and ill try to find soe”
VOLUME THREE, CHAPTER FOUR
”Mustapha,” observed the pacha, taking his pipe out of his mouth, ”what makes the poets talk so much about the Book of Fate?”
”The Book of Fate, your highness, is where is written our _Talleh_, or destiny Can I say reat! and it is well said But why a book, when nobody can read it?”
”These are great words, and spiced isdom O pacha! doth not Hafiz say, 'Every ain?' Who can say ill be the event of any thing?”
”Wallab thaib! well said, by Allah! Then why a book, if the book is sealed?”
”Yet there are wise men who can read our kismet, and foretell”