THE STORY OF THE BARBER'S THIRD BROTHER.
Commander of the faithful, said he to the caliph, my third brother, whose name was Backback, was blind, and his ill destiny reduced him to beg from door to door. He had been so long accustomed to walk through the streets alone, that he had no need of one to lead him: he had a custom to knock at people's doors, and apt to answer till they opened to him. One day he knocked thus at a door, and the master of the house, who was alone, cried, Who is there? My brother gave no answer, and knocked a second time: the master of the house asked again, Who is there? but to no purpose; my brother did not answer: upon which the man of the house came down, opened the door, and asked my brother what he wanted. That you would give me something, for heaven's sake! said Backback. You seem to be blind, replied the master of the house. Yes, to my sorrow, said my brother. Give me your hand, said the master of the house. My brother did so, thinking he was going to give him alms; but he only took him by the hand, to lead him up to his chamber: Backback thought he had been carrying him to dinner with him, as several other people had done. When they came up to the chamber, the man loosed his hand out of my brother's, and sitting down, asked again what he wanted. I have already told you, said Backback, that I want something for God's sake. Good blind man, replied the master of the house, all that I can do for you is to wish that God may restore you your sight. You might have told me that at the door, said my brother, and not have given me the trouble to come up. And why, fool, said the man of the house, do you not answer at first, when people ask you who is there? Why do you give any body the trouble to come and open the door when they speak to you? What will you do with me, then? said my brother. I tell you again, said the man of the house, I have nothing to give you. Help me down stairs, then, replied Backback, as you helped me up. The stairs are before you, said the man of the house, and you may go down alone if you will. My brother went to go down, but missing a step about the middle of the stairs, he fell down and hurt his head and his back: he got up again with a great deal of difficulty, and complained heavily of the master of the house, who only laughed at his fall.
As my brother went out of the house, two blind men, his companions, going by, knew him by his voice, and asked him what was the matter. He told them what had happened to him, and afterwards said, I have eaten nothing to-day; I conjure you to go along with me to my house, that I may take some of the money that we three have in common, to buy me something for supper. The two blind men agreed to it, and they went home with him.
You must know that the master of the house where my brother was so ill used, was a highwayman, and naturally cunning and malicious. He heard at his window what Backback had said to his companions, and therefore came down and followed them to my brother's house. The blind men being seated, Backback said to them, brethren, we must shut the door, and take care there be no strangers with us. At this the highwayman was much perplexed, but perceiving a rope hanging down from a beam, he caught hold of it, and hung by it, while the blind men shut the door, and felt about the room with their sticks. When they had done this, and sat down again in their places, the highwayman left his rope, and sat down softly by my brother, who thinking himself alone with his blind comrades, said to them, Brothers, since you have trusted me with the money, which we all three have gathered a long time, I will show you that I am not unworthy of the trust that you repose in me. The last time we reckoned, you know we had ten thousand drams, and that we put them into ten bags; I will show you that I have not touched one of them. Having said so, he put his hand among some old lumber, and taking out the bags, one after another, gave them to his comrades, saying, There they are; you may judge by their weight that they are whole, or you may tell them if you please. His comrades answered, there was no occasion, they did not mistrust him; so opened one of the bags, and took out ten drams, and each of the other blind men did the like.
My brother put the bags into their place again; after which one of them said to him, There is no need to lay out any thing for supper, for I have got as much provision from good people as will serve us all three. At the same time he took out of his bag bread and cheese, and some fruit; and, putting them all upon the table, they began to eat. The highwayman, who sat at my brother's right hand, picked out the best, and ate with them; but, whatever care he took to make no noise, Backback heard his jaws going, and cried out immediately, We are undone! there is a stranger among us! and having said so, he stretched out his hand, and catching hold of the highwayman by the arm, cried out, Thieves! fell upon him, and boxed him. The other blind men fell upon him in like manner, and the highwayman defended himself as well as he could; but being young and vigorous, and having the advantage of his eyes, he gave furious blows, sometimes to one, sometimes to another, as he could come at them, and cried out Thieves! louder than they did. The neighbours came running at the noise, broke open the door, and had much ado to separate the combatants; but, having at last done it, they asked the cause of their quarrel. My brother, who still had hold of the highwayman, cried out, Gentlemen, this man I have hold of is a thief, and stole in with us on purpose to rob us of the little money we have. The thief, who shut his eyes as soon as the neighbours came, feigned himself also to be blind, and cried out, Gentlemen, he is a liar. I swear to you by Heaven, and by the life of the caliph, that I am their companion, and they refuse to give me my just share! They have all three fallen upon me, and I demand justice. The neighbours would not meddle with their quarrel, but carried them all before a judge.
When they came before the magistrate, the highwayman, without staying to be examined, cried out, still feigning himself to be blind, Sir, since you are deputed to administer justice by the caliph, whom God prosper, I declare to you that we are equally criminal, my three comrades and I; but we have all engaged upon oath to confess nothing unless we be bastinadoed; so that if you would know our crime, you need only order us to be bastinadoed, and begin with me. My brother would have spoken, but was not allowed to do so; and the highwayman was put under the bastinado.
The robber, being under the bastinado, had the courage to bear twenty or thirty blows; when, seeming to be overcome with pain he first opened one eye, and then the other; and, crying out for mercy, begged the judge would put a stop to the blows, The judge, perceiving that he looked upon him with his eyes open, was much surprised, and said to him, Rogue! what is the meaning of this miracle? Sir, replied the highwayman, I will discover to you an important secret, if you pardon me, and give me, as a pledge that you will keep your word, the seal-ring which you have on your finger. The judge agreed to it, gave him his ring, and promised him pardon. Upon this, said the highwayman, I must confess to you, Sir, that I and my three comrades do all see very well: we feigned ourselves to be blind, that we might more freely enter people's houses, and into women's apartments, where we abuse their frailty. I must further, confess to you, that by this trick we have gained together ten thousand drams. This day I demanded of my partners two thousand five hundred that belong to me as my share, but they refused, because I told them I would leave them; and they were afraid I should accuse them. Upon pressing still to have my share, they all three fell upon me; for the truth of which I appeal to those people who brought us before you, I expect from your justice, that you will make them deliver to me the two thousand five hundred drams which are my due; and if you have a mind to make my comrades confess the truth, you must order them three times as many blows as I have had, and you will find they will open their eyes as well as I did.
My brother and the other two blind men would have cleared themselves of this horrid cheat, but the judge would not hear them: Villains! said he, do you feign yourselves blind then, and under that pretext cheat people, by begging their charity, and abusing poor women? He is a cheat, cried my brother; we take God to witness that none of us can see!
All that my brother could say was in vain; his comrades and he received each of them two hundred blows. The judge looked always when they should have opened their eyes, and ascribed to their obstinacy what really they could not do. All the while the highwayman said to the blind men, Poor fools that you are, open your eyes, and do not suffer yourselves to be killed with blows. Then addressing himself to the judge, said, I perceive, sir, that they will be maliciously obstinate to the last, and will never open their eyes: they have a mind certainly to avoid the shame of reading their own condemnation in the face of every one who looks upon them; it were better, if you think fit, to pardon them, and to send some person along with me for the ten thousand drams they have hid.
The judge did so, gave the highwayman two thousand five hundred drams, and kept the rest to himself; and as for my brother and his two companions, he thought he showed them a great deal of pity by sentencing them only to be banished. As soon as I heard what befel my brother, I ran after him; he told me his misfortune, and I brought him back secretly to the town. I could easily have justified him to the judge, and have got the highwayman punished as he deserved, but durst not attempt it, for fear of bringing myself into trouble. Thus I finished the sad adventure of my honest blind brother. The caliph laughed at it, as much as at those he had heard before, and ordered again that something should be given me; but, without staying for it, I began the story of my fourth brother.