“‘Alas,’ cried I, ‘what a misfortune! What an affront! How can I venture to return to Moussoul? All that I can say to my father, will never persuade him that I am innocent.’ Three days after this accident befel me, I saw, with the utmost astonishment, a number of the attendants of the police officer come into my house, attended by my landlord and the merchant, who had falsely accused me of having stolen the necklace from him. I asked them what they wanted; but instead of replying, they bound me with cords, and poured forth the most abusive language, telling me, that the necklace belonged to the governor of Damascus, who had lost it about three years before; and that at the same time one of his daughters had disappeared. Judge of the state I was in at this intelligence; I however determined how to act. ‘I will tell the truth,’ thought I; ‘the governor shall decide, whether he will pardon me, or commit me for execution.’
“When I was conducted before him, I observed, that he looked on me with an eye of compassion, which I conceived to be a favourable omen. He ordered me to be unbound, and then addressing the merchant, who was my accuser, and the landlord of my house, ‘Is that,’ said he to them, ‘the young man who offered for sale the pearl necklace?’ They immediately answered that I was. When he added, ‘I am convinced, that he did not steal the necklace; and I am very much surprised, that such injustice should have been practised on him.’ Encouraged by this speech, ‘My lord,’ I cried, ‘I swear to you that I am innocent. I am persuaded also, that the necklace did not ever belong to my accuser, whom I never saw before, and whose horrible perfidy is the cause of the disagreeable treatment I have met with. It is true that I confessed the theft; but I made this avowal against my conscience, urged by the torments I was made to suffer, and for a reason which I am ready to relate, if you will have the goodness to listen to me.’—‘I know enough already,’ replied the governor, ‘to be able to render you immediately part of the justice which is your due. Let the false accuser be taken from hence,’ continued he, ‘and let him undergo the same punishment which he caused to be inflicted on this young man, whose innocence is well known to me.’
“The order of the governor was instantly put in execution. The merchant was led out, and punished as he deserved. After which the governor, having desired all who were present to withdraw, thus addressed me: ‘My son, relate to me, without fear, in what manner this necklace fell into your hands, and disguise nothing from me.’ I then discovered to him all that had happened; and owned, that I preferred passing for a thief to revealing this tragical adventure. ‘Great God,’ exclaimed the governor, as soon as I had done speaking, ‘thy judgments are incomprehensible, and we must submit without murmuring: I receive, with entire submission, the blow which thou hast been pleased to strike.’ Then addressing himself to me, ‘My son,’ added he, ‘having heard the account of your misfortune, for which I am extremely sorry, I will now relate mine. Know, then, that I am the father of the two ladies you have been speaking of.
“‘The first lady, who had the effrontery to seek you, even in your own house, was the eldest of all my daughters. I had married her, at Cairo, to her cousin, the son of my brother. Her husband died, and she returned here, corrupted by a thousand vices, which she had learnt in Egypt. Before her arrival, the youngest, who died in so deplorable a manner in your arms, was very prudent, and had never given me any reason to complain of her morals. Her eldest sister formed a very close friendship with her, and by insensible degrees rendered her as wicked as herself.
“‘The day following that on which the youngest died, as I did not see her when I sat down to table, I inquired for her of the eldest, who had returned home; but instead of making any reply she began to weep so bitterly, that I conceived an unlucky presage. I pressed her to inform me of what I wished to know.
“‘Father,’ replied she, sobbing, ‘I can tell you nothing more than that my sister yesterday put on her best dress, and her beautiful pearl necklace, and went out; since which she has not appeared.’ I had my daughter searched for over the city, but could learn no tidings of her unhappy fate. In the mean time my eldest daughter, who no doubt began to repent of her jealous fit, did not cease weeping and bewailing the death of her sister: she even deprived herself of all kinds of nourishment, and by that means put a period to her existence.
“‘This alas!’ continued the governor, ‘is the condition of man. These are the evils to which he is exposed. But, my son, as we are both equally unfortunate, let us unite our sorrows, and never abandon each other. I will bestow my third daughter on you in marriage: she is younger than her sisters, and does not at all resemble them in her conduct. She is even more beautiful than they were, and I can assure you, that she is of a disposition to make you happy. My house shall be your home, and after my death you and she will be my only heirs.’—‘My lord,’ said I, ‘I am quite confused by your kindness, and shall never be able to testify my gratitude.’—‘Enough,’ interrupted he, ‘let us not waste time in useless conversation.’ Saying this, he had some witnesses called, and I married his daughter without any farther ceremony.
“He was not satisfied with punishing the merchant who had falsely accused me; he also confiscated all his property, which was very considerable, to my use. In short, as you come now from the governor, you may have observed in what high estimation he holds me. I must add too, that a man, who was sent expressly by my uncles to seek me in Egypt, having discovered, in passing through this city, that I resided here, yesterday gave me letters from them. They inform me of the death of my father, and invite me to go to Moussoul to take possession of his inheritance; but as my alliance and friendship with the governor attach me to him, and do not suffer me to think of quitting him, I have sent back the express, empowering my uncles legally to transfer all that belongs to me. After what you have heard I trust you will pardon me the incivility I have been guilty of, during my illness, of presenting you my left hand instead of my right.’
“This,” said the Jewish physician to the sultan of Casgar, “is what the young man of Moussoul related to me. I remained at Damascus as long as the governor lived; after his death, as I was in the prime of my life, I had the curiosity to travel. I traversed all Persia, and went into India; at last I came to establish myself in your capital, where I exercise, with credit to myself, the profession of physician.”
The sultan of Casgar thought this story entertaining; “I confess,” said he to the Jew, “what thou hast been relating is extraordinary; but to speak frankly, the story of the hunchback is still more so, and much more comical; so do not flatter thyself with the hope of being reprieved any more than the others; I shall have you all four hanged.”—“A moment’s grace, Sire,” cried the tailor, advancing, and prostrating himself at the feet of the sultan; since your majesty likes pleasant stories, that which I shall tell you, will not, I think, displease you.”—“I will listen to thee also,” replied the sultan, “but do not entertain any hopes that I shall suffer thee to live, unless thou canst recount some adventure more diverting than that of the hunchback.” The tailor then, as if he had been sure of his business, boldly began his recital in these words: