murad the unlucky and other tales-第2部分

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my　mother　loud　enough　for　me　to　hear；　'Unlucky　he　was；　and　is；　and
ever　will　be。　　Those　that　are　born　to　ill　luck　cannot　help
themselves；　nor　can　any；　but　the　great　prophet；　Mahomet　himself；　do
anything　for　them。　　It　is　a　folly　for　an　unlucky　person　to　strive
with　their　fate：　　it　is　better　to　yield　to　it　at　once。'

〃This　speech　made　a　terrible　impression　upon　me；　young　as　I　then
was；　and　every　accident　that　happened　to　me　afterwards　confirmed　my
belief　in　my　nurse's　prognostic。　　I　was　in　my　eighth　year　when　my
father　returned　from　abroad。　　The　year　after　he　came　home　my
brother　Saladin　was　born；　who　was　named　Saladin　the　Lucky；　because
the　day　he　was　born　a　vessel　freighted　with　rich　merchandise　for　my
father　arrived　safely　in　port。

〃I　will　not　weary　you　with　a　relation　of　all　the　little　instances
of　good　fortune　by　which　my　brother　Saladin　was　distinguished；　even
during　his　childhood。　　As　he　grew　up；　his　success　in　everything　he
undertook　was　as　remarkable　as　my　ill　luck　in　all　that　I　attempted。
From　the　time　the　rich　vessel　arrived；　we　lived　in　splendour；　and
the　supposed　prosperous　state　of　my　father's　affairs　was　of　course
attributed　to　the　influence　of　my　brother　Saladin's　happy　destiny。

〃When　Saladin　was　about　twenty；　my　father　was　taken　dangerously
ill；　and　as　he　felt　that　he　should　not　recover；　he　sent　for　my
brother　to　the　side　of　his　bed；　and；　to　his　great　surprise；
informed　him　that　the　magnificence　in　which　we　had　lived　had
exhausted　all　his　wealth；　that　his　affairs　were　in　the　greatest
disorder；　for；　having　trusted　to　the　hope　of　continual　success；　he
had　embarked　in　projects　beyond　his　powers。

〃The　sequel　was；　he　had　nothing　remaining　to　leave　to　his　children
but　two　large　china　vases；　remarkable　for　their　beauty；　but　still
more　valuable　on　account　of　certain　verses　inscribed　upon　them　in
an　unknown　character；　which　were　supposed　to　operate　as　a　talisman
or　charm　in　favour　of　their　possessors。

〃Both　these　vases　my　father　bequeathed　to　my　brother　Saladin；
declaring　he　could　not　venture　to　leave　either　of　them　to　me；
because　I　was　so　unlucky　that　I　should　inevitably　break　it。　　After
his　death；　however；　my　brother　Saladin；　who　was　blessed　with　a
generous　temper；　gave　me　my　choice　of　the　two　vases；　and
endeavoured　to　raise　my　spirits　by　repeating　frequently　that　he　had
no　faith　either　in　good　fortune　or　ill　fortune。

〃I　could　not　be　of　his　opinion；　though　I　felt　and　acknowledged　his
kindness　in　trying　to　persuade　me　out　of　my　settled　melancholy。　　I
knew　it　was　in　vain　for　me　to　exert　myself；　because　I　was　sure
that；　do　what　I　would；　I　should　still　be　Murad　the　Unlucky。　　My
brother；　on　the　contrary；　was　nowise　cast　down；　even　by　the　poverty
in　which　my　father　left　us：　　he　said　he　was　sure　he　should　find
some　means　of　maintaining　himself；　and　so　he　did。

〃On　examining　our　china　vases；　he　found　in　them　a　powder　of　a
bright　scarlet　colour；　and　it　occurred　to　him　that　it　would　make　a
fine　dye。　　He　tried　it；　and　after　some　trouble；　it　succeeded　to
admiration。

〃During　my　father's　lifetime；　my　mother　had　been　supplied　with　rich
dresses　by　one　of　the　merchants　who　was　employed　by　the　ladies　of
the　grand　seignior's　seraglio。　　My　brother　had　done　this　merchant
some　trifling　favours；　and；　upon　application　to　him；　he　readily
engaged　to　recommend　the　new　scarlet　dye。　　Indeed；　it　was　so
beautiful；　that；　the　moment　it　was　seen；　it　was　preferred　to　every
other　colour。　　Saladin's　shop　was　soon　crowded　with　customers；　and
his　winning　manners　and　pleasant　conversation　were　almost　as
advantageous　to　him　as　his　scarlet　dye。　　On　the　contrary；　I
observed　that　the　first　glance　at　my　melancholy　countenance　was
sufficient　to　disgust　every　one　who　saw　me。　　I　perceived　this
plainly；　and　it　only　confirmed　me　the　more　in　my　belief　in　my　own
evil　destiny。

〃It　happened　one　day　that　a　lady；　richly　apparelled　and　attended　by
two　female　slaves；　came　to　my　brother's　house　to　make　some
purchases。　　He　was　out；　and　I　alone　was　left　to　attend　to　the　shop。
After　she　had　looked　over　some　goods；　she　chanced　to　see　my　china
vase；　which　was　in　the　room。　　She　took　a　prodigious　fancy　to　it；
and　offered　me　any　price　if　I　would　part　with　it；　but　this　I
declined　doing；　because　I　believed　that　I　should　draw　down　upon　my
head　some　dreadful　calamity　if　I　voluntarily　relinquished　the
talisman。　　Irritated　by　my　refusal；　the　lady；　according　to　the
custom　of　her　sex；　became　more　resolute　in　her　purpose；　but　neither
entreaties　nor　money　could　change　my　determination。　　Provoked
beyond　measure　at　my　obstinacy；　as　she　called　it；　she　left　the
house。

〃On　my　brother's　return；　I　related　to　him　what　had　happened；　and
expected　that　he　would　have　praised　me　for　my　prudence；　but；　on　the
contrary；　he　blamed　me　for　the　superstitious　value　I　set　upon　the
verses　on　my　vase；　and　observed　that　it　would　be　the　height　of
folly　to　lose　a　certain　means　of　advancing　my　fortune　for　the
uncertain　hope　of　magical　protection。　　I　could　not　bring　myself　to
be　of　his　opinion；　I　had　not　the　courage　to　follow　the　advice　he
gave。　　The　next　day　the　lady　returned；　and　my　brother　sold　his　vase
to　her　for　ten　thousand　pieces　of　gold。　　This　money　he　laid　out　in
the　most　advantageous　manner；　by　purchasing　a　new　stock　of
merchandise。　　I　repented　when　it　was　too　late；　but　I　believe　it　is
part　of　the　fatality　attending　certain　persons；　that　they　cannot
decide　rightly　at　the　proper　moment。　　When　the　opportunity　has　been
lost；　I　have　always　regretted　that　I　did　not　do　exactly　the
contrary　to　what　I　had　previously　determined　upon。　　Often；　whilst　I
was　hesitating；　the　favourable　moment　passed。　｛1｝　　Now　this　is　what
I　call　being　unlucky。　　But　to　proceed　with　my　story。

〃The　lady　who　bought　my　brother　Saladin's　vase　was　the　favourite　of
the　Sultan；　and　all…powerful　in　the　seraglio。　　Her　dislike　to　me；
in　consequence　of　my　opposition　to　her　wishes；　was　so　violent；　that
she　refused　to　return　to　my　brother's　house　while　I　remained　there。
He　was　unwilling　to　part　with　me；　but　I　could　not　bear　to　be　the
ruin　of　so　good　a　brother。　　Without　telling　him　my　design；　I　left
his　house　careless　of　what　should　become　of　me。　　Hunger；　however；
soon　compelled　me　to　think　of　some　immediate　mode　of　obtaining
relief。　　I　sat　down　upon　a　stone；　before　the　door　of　a　baker's
shop：　　the　smell　of　hot　bread　tempted　me　in；　and　with　a　feeble
voice　I　demanded　charity。

〃The　master　baker　gave　me　as　much　bread　as　I　could　eat；　upon
condition　that　I　should　change　dresses　with　him　and　carry　the　rolls
for　him　through　the　city　this　day。　　To　this　I　readily　consented；
but　I　had　soon　reason　to　repent　of　my　compliance。　　Indeed；　if　my
ill…luck　had　not；　as　usual；　deprived　me　at　this　critical　moment　of
memory　and　judgment；　I　should　never　have　complied　with　the　baker's
treacherous　proposal。　　For　some　time　before；　the　people　of
Constantinople　had　been　much　dissatisfied　with　the　weight　and
quality　of　the　bread　furnished　by　the　bakers。　　This　species　of
discontent　has　often　been　the　sure　forerunner　of　an　insurrection；
and；　in　these　disturbances；　the　master　bakers　frequently　lose　their
lives。　　All　these　circumstances　I　knew；　but　they　did　not　occur　to
my　memory　when　they　might　have　been　useful。

〃I　changed　dresses　with　the　baker；　but　scarcely　had　I　proceeded
through　the　adjoining　streets　with　my　rolls　before　the　mob　began　to
gather　round　me　with　reproaches　and　execrations。　　The　crowd　pursued
me　even　to　the　gates　of　the　grand　seignior's　palace；　and　the　grand
vizier；　alarmed　at　their　violence；　sent　out　an　order　to　have　my
head　struck　off；　the　usual　remedy；　in　such　cases；　being　to　strike
off　the　baker's　head。

〃I　now　fell　upon　my　knees；　and　protested　I　was　not　the　baker　for
whom　they　took　me；　that　I　had　no　connection　with　him；　and　that　I
had　never　furnished　the　people　of　Constantinople　with　bread　that
was　not　weight。　　I　declared　I　had　merely　changed　clothes　with　a
master　baker　for　this　day；　and　that　I　should　not　have　done　so　but
for　the　evil　destiny　which　governs　all　my　actions。　　Some　of　the　mob
exclaimed　that　I　deserved　to　lose　my　head　for　my　folly；　but　others
took　pity　on　me；　and　whilst　the　officer；　who　was　sent　to　execute
the　vizier's　order；　turned　to　speak　to　some　of　the　noisy　rioters；
those　who　were　touched　by　my　misfortune　opened　a　passage　for　me
through　the　crowd；　and　thus　favoured；　I　effected　my　escape。

〃I　quitted　Constantinople；　my　vase　I　had　left　in　the　care　of　my
brother。　　At　some　miles'　distance　from　the　city　I　overtook　a　party
of　soldiers。　　I　joined　them；　and　learning　that　they　were　going　to
embark　with　the　rest　of　the　grand　seignior's　army　for　Egypt；　I
resolved　to　accompany　them。　　'If　it　be；'　thought　I；　'the　will　of
Mahomet　that　I　should　perish；　the　sooner　I　meet　my　fate　the
better。'　　The　despondency　into　which　I　was　sunk　was　attended　by　so
great　a　degree　of　indolence；　that　I　scarcely　would　take　the
necessary　means　to　preserve　my　existence。　　During　our　passage　to
Egypt　I　sat　all　day　long　upon　the　deck　of　the　vessel；　smoking　my
pipe；　and　I　am　convinced　that　if　a　storm　had　risen；　as　I　expected；
I　should　not　have　taken　my　pipe　from　my　mouth；　nor　should　I　have
handled　a　rope　to　save　myself　from　destruction。　　Such　is　the　effect
of　that　species　of　resignation；　or　torpor；　whichever　you　please　to
call　it；　to　which　my　strong　belief　in　fatality　had　reduced　my　mind。

〃We　landed；　however；　safely；　contrary　to　my　melancholy　forebodings。
By　a　trifling　accident；　not　worth　relating；　I　was　detained　longer
than　any　of　my　companions　in　the　vessel　when　we　disembarked；　and　I
did　not　arrive　at　the　camp　till　late　at　night。　　It　was　moonlight；
and　I　could　see　the　whole　scene　distinctly。　　There　was　a　vast
number　of　small　tents　scattered　over　a　desert　of　white　sand；　a　few
date…trees　were　visible　at　a　distance；　all　was　gloomy；　and　all
still；　no　sound　was　to　be　heard　but　that　of　the　camels　feeding　near
the　tents；　and；　as　I　walked　on；　I　met　with　no　human　creature。

〃My　pipe　was　now　out；　and　I　quickened　my　pace　a　little　towards　a
fire　which　I　saw　near　one　of　the　tents。　　As　I　proceeded；　my　eye　was
caught　by　something　sparkling　in　the　sand：　　it　was　a　ring。　　I
picked　it　up　and　put　it　on　my　finger；　resolving　to　give　it　to　the
p