Part 7 (1/2)

I was visited by several women, for whom I wrote talismans, and they repaid me by small presents of fruit, milk, honey, and other trifles

My back becaed to inquire if no one at Semnan could afford me relief The barber and the farrier were the only two supposed to possess anyteeth, and setting a lie in the diseases of horses, being often consulted in hu, an old wo-like and decrepit appearance, as looked up to as an oracle in all cases where the knowledge of the barber and farrier was of no avail, and who had besides a great many nostrums and recipes for all sorts of aches Each careed that my disorder proceeded fro in opposition to cold that they knew of, they as unanireed that the actual cautery should immediately be applied to the part; and the farrier, on account of his dealings in hot and cold iron, was appointed operator He accordingly brought a pan of charcoal, a pair of bellows, and so himself in a corner, made his fire, and heated his skewers: when they were red hot, I was placed on the ground flat on reat sole iron, whilst all the bystanders, at every touch, exclaiives relief My medical attendants, in their united wisdom, out of compliment to the prophet and the twelve Ih, when I had endured half the operation, I began to cry out most lustily with the pain, still I was not let off until the whole was gone through

It was long before the wounds which they had inflicted were cured; and as they never would heal unless I was kept in perfect quiet, I confined myself to my cell for a considerable time; at the end of which, th was restored to my whole frame Of course, my recovery was attributed to the thirteen worthies, who had presided over the operation, and all the town became more than ever persuaded of the efficacy of hot iron; but I could not but think that long repose had been my best doctor--an opinion which I took care to keep to myself; for I had no objection that the world should believe that I was a protege of so es

I now determined to pursue my journey to Tehran; but before I ventured to produce e, I resolved to trya story before a Sely, I went to a small open space, that is situated near the entrance of the bazaars, wherethe sort of exclamations usual upon such occasions, I soon collected a croho settled theround, round the place which I had fixed upon for dad (which I had heard when I was myself in that profession), luckily ca in the middle of a circle of louts with uplifted eyes and openwords:--

?In the reign of the Caliph Haroun al-Rashi+d, of happy dad a celebrated barber, of the name of Ali Sakal He was so famous for a steady hand, and dexterity in his profession, that he could shave a head, and trim a beard and whiskers, with his eyes blindfolded, without once drawing blood There was not a dad who did not eth he became proud and insolent, and would scarcely ever touch a head, whose a_ Wood for fuel was always scarce and dear at Bagdad; and as his shop consuht their loads to hi with a ready sale It happened one day, that a poor wood-cutter, new in his profession, and ignorant of the character of Ali Sakal, went to his shop, and offered hiht from a considerable distance in the country, on his ass: Ali i use of these words, ?_for all the wood that was upon the ass?_ The woodcutter agreed, unloaded his beast, and asked for the iven me all the wood yet,? said the barber; ?I must have the pack-saddle (which is chiefly reereat aain?--it is impossible? In short, afterbarber seized the pack-saddle, wood and all, and sent away the poor peasant in great distress He iriefs: the cadi was one of the barber?s customers, and refused to hear the case The wood-cutter applied to a higher judge: he also patronized Ali Sakal, and ht of the complaint The poorpondered over the question, at length settled, that it was too difficult a case for hi made for it in the Koran, and therefore he must put up with his loss The wood-cutter was not disheartened; but forthwith got a scribe to write a petition to the caliph himself, which he duly presented on Friday, the day when he went in state to thepetitions is well known, and it was not long before the wood-cutter was called to his presence When he had approached the caliph, he kneeled and kissed the ground, and then placing his arht before him, his hands covered with the sleeves of his cloak, and his feet close together, he awaited the decision of his case ?Friend,? said the caliph, ?the barber has words on his side--you have equity on yours The law reements must be made by words: the forreements must be kept, or there would be no faith between man and man; therefore the barberthe wood-cutter close to hi in his ear, which none but he could hear, and then sent him away quite satisfied?

Here then I made a pause in my narrative, and said whilst I extended a small tin cup which I held in iveI will tell you what the caliph said to the wood-cutter? I had excited great curiosity, and there was scarcely one of ive me a piece of money

?Well then,? said I, ?the caliph whispered to the wood-cutter what he was to do, in order to get satisfaction from the barber, and what that was I will now relate The wood-cutter having made his obeisances, returned to his ass, which was tied without, took it by the halter, and proceeded to his ho had happened between the that he, and a coht enjoy the dexterity of his hand; and the price at which both operations were to be performed was settled When the wood-cutter?s crown had been properly shorn, Ali Sakal asked where his co without here,? said the other, ?and he shall coly he went out, and returned leading his ass after him by the halter ?This is my companion,? said he, ?and you reatest surprise; ?it is enough that I have consented to de me to do as much to your ass? Aith you, or I?ll send you both to _Jehanum_;? and forthwith drove them out of his shop

?The wood-cutter immediately went to the caliph, was admitted to his presence, and related his case ??Tis well,? said the co Ali Sakal and his razors to me this instant,? he exclaimed to one of his officers; and in the course of ten minutes the barber stood before him ?Why do you refuse to shave this man?s coreeround, answered: ??Tis true, O caliph, that such was our agreement; but who ever ht of treating it like a true believer??

?You ht,? said the caliph: ?but, at the sa upon a pack-saddle being included in a load of wood? No, no, it is the wood-cutter?s turn now To the ass immediately, or you know the consequences? The barber was then obliged to prepare a great quantity of soap, to lather the beast from head to foot, and to shave him in the presence of the caliph and of the whole court, whilst he was jeered andof all the bystanders The poor wood-cutter was then disdad resounded with the story, and celebrated the justice of the commander of the faithful?

CHAPTER XIV

Of the man he meets, and the consequences of the encounter

I left Se and handsos at Meshed, clinked in my purse--I had acquired some experience in the world; and I deterarb of a dervish, to dress myself well from head to foot, and to endeavour to push her walk in life

About a day?s journey fro, with allon the loves of _Leilah_ and _Majnoun_, I was overtaken by a courier, who entered into conversation with me, and invited ht with hily accepted his invitation We settled ourselves on the borders of a rivulet, near a cornfield, whilst the courier took off his horse?s bridle, and perroped up, fro trousers, a pocket handkerchief, in which rapped several lumps of cold boiled rice, and three or four flaps of bread, which he spread before us, and then added so at his saddle-bow From the same trousers, which contained his shoes, a provision of tobacco, a drinking cup, and many other useful articles, he drew half a dozen raw onions, which he added to the feast; and we ate with such appetite, that very soon ere reduced to the ers

We washed the whole doith some water from the rivulet, and only then (such had been our voracity) we thought of questioning each other concerning the object of our respective journeys From my dress, he perceived me to be a dervish, and my story was soon told: as for hi to the Governor of Asterabad, and, to ence of the release of my former co the Turcomans I did not let the courier kno ht me hoise it was, in the affairs of life to keep one?s own counsel; and, therefore, I pretended ignorance of even the existence of such a person

My coed to reach Asterabad in safety, and that, being destitute of everything, he, in the ence of his situation to his family

He showed me the letters hich he was entrusted, which he drew forth fro a very inquisitive fellow, though unable to read, he was happy to find in ive him some account of their contents The first which I inspected[30] was a s, in which he set forth, in language the most poetic, all the miseries and tortures which he had endured since he had been thrown into the hands of the Turcoer, the thirst, and the barbarous treat, when coent presence of that pearl of royalty, that genificence, the quintessence of all earthly perfection, the great king of kings! that as the vilest reptile that crawls is perlorious sun, so he, the ?s subjects, hoped once more to bask in the sunshi+ne of the royal countenance; and, finally, he huht not deprive hiht aspire to reoccupy his forain be per of the charms and perfections of his lovely rose

The next letter was addressed to the prime vizier, in which that notorious minister, decrepit in person, and nefarious in conduct, was called a planet a the stars, and the sheet anchor of the state, and in which the poet sues for his protection There was nearly a sih treasurer I then inspected the letters addressed to his family, of which one was to his wife, another to his son?s tutor, and a third to his steward To his wife, he talked of the interior arrangements of his anderun; hoped that she had been econoood order, and desired her i clothes for hi

To the tutor, he enjoined great attention to his son?s ht all the best forms of cant and compliment; that he never omitted to say his prayers; that he was by this time able to sit a horse, to perforallop

To his steward, he gave so the adreat econoo and stand before the prime vizier; praise him to the skies; and make all sorts of professions, on his part, to his excellency; that he should keep a good watch upon his woo too often to the bath; that when she and her slaves went abroad to take the air, he should acco old women, particularly Jewesses, had been admitted into his harem; and that the walls, which surrounded the woood repair, in order to prevent gadding on the housetop with the neighbours He ordered that his black slave, Johur, was now no longer to be allowed free access into the anderun; and if ever seen to be familiar with any of the female slaves, he and they were to be whipped: finally, he desired the steward to give the courier a handsoood news to his faain; those which had been sealed, I again sealed, and returned to the courier He seeet for bringing the first intelligence of the poet?s safety, and told et the start of hiht; and added, that the horse, which he now bestrode, belonged to a peasant, fro left his ohich was knocked up, to be brought on after him

After we had conversed a little ue, and fell into a profound sleep As he lay extended on the grass, I looked upon hian to reflect how easy it would be to forestall him I knew the whole of the poet?s history;--in fact, I was in soan to think that I had a right to the first relation of it Then as to the horse, it was as much mine as his; particularly since the peasant, with his own, must now be close at hand: so without more ceremony, I unfolded the handkerchief, which still lay in his lap, and taking out the letter to the steward, I mounted the horse: I applied the stirrups to his sides;[31] I galloped off; and in a very short time had left the sleeper far behind ress on the road to the capital

As I rode along, I considered as now my best line of conduct, and in what manner I should best introduce ood, and secure for myself the rehich had been destined for the courier I calculated that I should have at least a good day?s start of hied to walk soain his ohich was very doubtful; and appearing on foot as he did, it would be a hundred to one if anybody would believe his story, and he, most probably, would now be refused the loan of a beast to carry hi Tehran, to sell the horse, and its accoutree my dervish?s dress for the cojourney, present ate of the poet?s house, and there make the best story I could, which would be a sufficiently easyhoell I was acquainted with every circu to hioes to the poet?s house

I entered Tehran early in the ate, just as it was opened, and immediately exhibited my horse for sale at the market, which is daily held there, for that purpose I had proved it to be a good beast, fro my hasty leave of the courier; but a horse-dealer, to whom I showed it, htat all for it It was _chup_--it had the _ableh_[32]--it was old, and its teeth had been burnt;--in short, it seeht not to have I was therefore surprised when he offered me five tomauns for it, provided I threw hiain; and he seemed as surprised when I took him at his word, and accepted of his offer He paid me down one half of the money, and then offered me a half-starved ass in payment of the remainder; but this I refused, and he proain I was toostraightway to the bazaar, I bought a black cap, laid byequipped myself in a manner to be taken for one come from off a journey, I inquired my way to the house of the poet

It was situated in a pleasant quarter of the town, surrounded by gardens filled with poplars and poh which ran a stream of water, bordered by beautiful _chenars_[33] But the house itself seeate was half closed; there was no stir about it; and when I entered the first court, I could perceive but few indications of an inhabitant This looked ill forate, I there saw ahis kalian, whom I found to be the very person I was in search of, viz the _nazir_ or steward

I i?