“As soon as I was returned to my khan, my first business was to go and purchase a nice lamb and several sorts of cakes, which I sent as a present to the lady by a porter. 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 on the day before, and regaled me in quite as magnificent a style. When I left her the next morning, I put, as before, a purse, containing fifty pieces of gold, under the pillow, and returned to the khan of Mesrour.
“I continued thus to visit the lady every day, and each time I left a purse, with fifty pieces of gold in it. I pursued this plan, till the merchants to whom I had given my merchandise to dispose of, and whom I visited regularly twice a week, had nothing more of mine in their hands; I then found myself without any money, or the least chance of obtaining any.
“In this horrid state, 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 there was a great multitude of people collected to be present at a spectacle which was given by the sultan of Egypt. When I came to the spot where the crowd was collected, I mixed with the thickest part of it; and by chance I found myself near a gentleman very well mounted, and very handsomely dressed. To the pummel of his saddle there was fastened a little bag half open, from which a green string hung out. By touching the outside of the bag, I thought I discovered, that the green string, which hung down, belonged to a purse, that was within side. At the very moment I was forming this opinion, a porter, carrying a large bundle of wood, passed so close to him on the other side of his horse, that he was obliged to turn towards him in order 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 without being perceived by any one. It was very heavy, and I did not doubt, but it was filled either with gold or silver.
“The porter was no sooner gone past but the person on horseback, who seemed to have had some suspicion of my intention, while his head was turned away, instantly put his hand into the bag, and missing the purse, he gave me such a blow, that I fell to the ground. They, who saw this violent attack, directly began to take my part; some seized the bridle of his horse to stop him, and asked him what he meant by thus knocking me down; and how he durst thus ill treat a mussulman. ‘What business is this of yours?’ he answered in an angry tone.—‘I know what I am about; he is a thief.’ At these words I got up; when, on seeing me, every one took my part, and said he asserted a falsehood; for it was very improbable, that a young man of my appearance and manner could be guilty of so infamous an action as he laid to my charge. In short, they kept persisting in my innocence; and while they were holding his horse, in order 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 with having used me ill, under the pretence that I had robbed him.
“The officer of the police, however, was by no means satisfied with this account. He asked the gentleman on horseback, 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 believing that he was not mistaken in his suspicions. After having attentively listened to him, the officer ordered his attendants to arrest and search me. They instantly obeyed; and one of them discovering the purse, held it publicly up to view. This disgrace was too much for me to bear, and I fainted away. The officer of the police then desired them to bring the purse to him.
“As soon as the officer had taken the purse, he asked the man on horseback, if that was his, and how much money there was in it? The latter immediately knew it to be the same which had been taken from him; and assured the officer there were twenty sequins in it. The judge instantly opened it, and finding exactly that sum in it, he returned it. After this he ordered me before him:—‘Young man,’ said he, ‘confess the truth; acknowledge that it was you who stole the purse; and do not wait till I order you to the torture, to make you confess.’ Holding down my head, I reflected within myself, that if I denied the fact, as the purse was found upon me, they could only consider it as a falsehood and an evasion; to avoid therefore being doubly punished, both as a liar and a thief, I raised my head, and acknowledged that I had taken it. I had no sooner made this confession, than the officer, having first taken down the evidence, 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 not less affected than the rest. The judge indeed wished to punish me still farther by cutting off one of my feet, but I begged the person, from whom I had taken the purse, to intercede for me with the judge to omit that part of the sentence; he did so, and obtained his request.
The officer was no sooner gone on, than the injured person came up to me.—‘I am convinced,’ said he to me, and at the same time offered the purse, ‘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.’ Having said this, 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, were so kind and compassionate as to take me home with them, and give me a glass of wine. 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 got back to the khan of Mesrour, I did not find that assistance there which I stood so much in need of. It was, however, I thought, hazarding a great deal to go and present myself to the young lady.—‘She will not,’ said I to myself, ‘wish to see me any more, when she shall have been informed of the infamous action I have been guilty of.’ I nevertheless determined to pursue this plan; and as soon as the crowd, who had followed me, were 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 she should not see the state in which it was.
“In the mean time, the lady, being informed of my arrival, and that I seemed very ill, came to me in the greatest haste, and seeing me pale and faint, ‘My dear soul,’ she cried, ‘what is the matter with you?’ I dissembled the real cause, and in answer told her, that I had a most violent head-ache, which very much tormented me. At this she appeared much afflicted.—‘Sit down,’ she replied, 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 pleasure of seeing you here. There is surely something else, which you conceal from me. Tell me, I beg of you, what it is.’ As I remained silent, instead of answering her, the tears fell from my eyes.—‘I cannot comprehend,’ added she, ‘what can possibly cause you so much affliction.—Have I unintentionally given you any cause? 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 still more.’
“I could not make up my mind to discover the true cause of my illness to her. When the evening approached, supper was served up. She 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.—‘It would return,’ said she, if you would unfold to me what you so obstinately conceal. Your dislike doubtless arises from the pain you suffer by remaining silent.’—‘Alas, madam,’ I replied, ‘it is very necessary for me to make that determination, and to adhere to it.’ I had no sooner said this, than she poured me out a glass of wine, and presenting it to me, ‘Drink this,’ she replied, ‘it will give you both strength and courage.’ I then held out my left hand, and took the glass.