murad the unlucky and other tales-第5部分

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He　smiled；　and　answered　that　if　a　Turk　loved　opium　better　than
money　this　was　no　fault　of　his；　that　he　had　supplied　me　with　what　I
loved　best　in　the　world；　and　that　I　ought　not　to　complain　when　he
expected　I　should　return　the　favour。

〃I　will　not　weary　you；　gentlemen；　with　all　the　arguments　that
passed　between　me　and　Rachub。　　At　last　we　compromised　matters；　he
would　take　nothing　less　than　the　whole　debt：　　but　he　let　me　have　at
a　very　cheap　rate　a　chest　of　second…hand　clothes；　by　which　he
assured　me　I　might　make　my　fortune。　　He　brought　them　to　Grand
Cairo；　he　said；　for　the　purpose　of　selling　them　to　slave　merchants；
who；　at　this　time　of　the　year；　were　in　want　of　them　to　supply　their
slaves；　but　he　was　in　haste　to　get　home　to　his　wife　and　family　at
Constantinople；　and；　therefore；　he　was　willing　to　make　over　to　a
friend　the　profits　of　this　speculation。　　I　should　have　distrusted
Rachub's　professions　of　friendship；　and　especially　of
disinterestedness；　but　he　took　me　with　him　to　the　khan　where　his
goods　were；　and　unlocked　the　chest　of　clothes　to　show　them　to　me。
They　were　of　the　richest　and　finest　materials；　and　had　been　but
little　worn。　　I　could　not　doubt　the　evidence　of　my　senses；　the
bargain　was　concluded；　and　the　Jew　sent　porters　to　my　inn　with　the
chest。

〃The　next　day　I　repaired　to　the　public　market…place；　and；　when　my
business　was　known；　I　had　choice　of　customers　before　nightmy
chest　was　empty；　and　my　purse　was　full。　　The　profit　I　made　upon　the
sale　of　these　clothes　was　so　considerable；　that　I　could　not　help
feeling　astonishment　at　Rachub's　having　brought　himself　so　readily
to　relinquish　them。

〃A　few　days　after　I　had　disposed　of　the　contents　of　my　chest；　a
Damascene　merchant；　who　had　bought　two　suits　of　apparel　from　me；
told　me；　with　a　very　melancholy　face；　that　both　the　female　slaves
who　had　put　on　these　clothes　were　sick。　　I　could　not　conceive　that
the　clothes　were　the　cause　of　their　sickness；　but　soon　afterwards；
as　I　was　crossing　the　market；　I　was　attacked　by　at　least　a　dozen
merchants；　who　made　similar　complaints。　　They　insisted　upon　knowing
how　I　came　by　the　garments；　and　demanded　whether　I　had　worn　any　of
them　myself。　　This　day　I　had；　for　the　first　time；　indulged　myself
with　wearing　a　pair　of　yellow　slippers；　the　only　finery　I　had
reserved　for　myself　out　of　all　the　tempting　goods。　　Convinced　by　my
wearing　these　slippers　that　I　could　have　had　no　insidious　designs；
since　I　shared　the　danger；　whatever　it　might　be；　the　merchants　were
a　little　pacified；　but　what　was　my　terror　and　remorse　the　next　day；
when　one　of　them　came　to　inform　me　that　plague…boils　had　broken　out
under　the　arms　of　all　the　slaves　who　had　worn　this　pestilential
apparel！　　On　looking　carefully　into　the　chest；　we　found　the　word
'Smyrna'　written；　and　half　effaced；　upon　the　lid。　　Now；　the　plague
had　for　some　time　raged　at　Smyrna；　and；　as　the　merchants　suspected；
these　clothes　had　certainly　belonged　to　persons　who　had　died　of
that　distemper。　　This　was　the　reason　why　the　Jew　was　willing　to
sell　them　to　me　so　cheap；　and　it　was　for　this　reason　that　he　would
not　stay　at　Grand　Cairo　himself　to　reap　the　profits　of　his
speculation。　　Indeed；　if　I　had　paid　attention　to　it　at　the　proper
time；　a　slight　circumstance　might　have　revealed　the　truth　to　me。
Whilst　I　was　bargaining　with　the　Jew；　before　he　opened　the　chest；
he　swallowed　a　large　dram　of　brandy；　and　stuffed　his　nostrils　with
sponge　dipped　in　vinegar；　he　told　me；　he　did　to　prevent　his
perceiving　the　smell　of　musk；　which　always　threw　him　into
convulsions。

〃The　horror　I　felt　when　I　discovered　that　I　had　spread　the
infection　of　the　plague；　and　that　I　had　probably　caught　it　myself；
overpowered　my　sensesa　cold　dew　spread　over　all　my　limbs；　and　I
fell　upon　the　lid　of　the　fatal　chest　in　a　swoon。　　It　is　said　that
fear　disposes　people　to　take　the　infection；　however　this　may　be；　I
sickened　that　evening；　and　soon　was　in　a　raging　fever。　　It　was
worse　for　me　whenever　the　delirium　left　me；　and　I　could　reflect
upon　the　miseries　my　ill…fortune　had　occasioned。　　In　my　first　lucid
interval　I　looked　round；　and　saw　that　I　had　been　removed　from　the
khan　to　a　wretched　hut。　　An　old　woman；　who　was　smoking　her　pipe　in
the　farthest　corner　of　my　room；　informed　me　that　I　had　been　sent
out　of　the　town　of　Grand　Cairo　by　order　of　the　cadi；　to　whom　the
merchants　had　made　their　complaint。　　The　fatal　chest　was　burnt；　and
the　house　in　which　I　had　lodged　razed　to　the　ground。　　'And　if　it
had　not　been　for　me；'　continued　the　old　woman；　'you　would　have　been
dead　probably　at　this　instant；　but　I　have　made　a　vow　to　our　great
Prophet　that　I　would　never　neglect　an　opportunity　of　doing　a　good
action；　therefore；　when　you　were　deserted　by　all　the　world；　I　took
care　of　you。　　Here；　too；　is　your　purse；　which　I　saved　from　the
rabbleand；　what　is　more　difficult；　from　the　officers　of　justice。
I　will　account　to　you　for　every　part　that　I　have　expended；　and
will；　moreover；　tell　you　the　reason　of　my　making　such　an
extraordinary　vow。'

〃As　I　believed　that　this　benevolent　old　woman　took　great　pleasure
in　talking；　I　made　an　inclination　of　my　head　to　thank　her　for　her
promised　history；　and　she　proceeded；　but　I　must　confess　I　did　not
listen　with　all　the　attention　her　narrative　doubtless　deserved。
Even　curiosity；　the　strongest　passion　of　us　Turks；　was　dead　within
me。　　I　have　no　recollection　of　the　old　woman's　story。　　It　is　as
much　as　I　can　do　to　finish　my　own。

〃The　weather　became　excessively　hot；　it　was　affirmed　by　some　of　the
physicians　that　this　heat　would　prove　fatal　to　their　patients；　but；
contrary　to　the　prognostics　of　the　physicians；　it　stopped　the
progress　of　the　plague。　　I　recovered；　and　found　my　purse　much
lightened　by　my　illness。　　I　divided　the　remainder　of　my　money　with
my　humane　nurse；　and　sent　her　out　into　the　city　to　inquire　how
matters　were　going　on。

〃She　brought　me　word　that　the　fury　of　the　plague　had　much　abated；
but　that　she　had　met　several　funerals；　and　that　she　had　heard　many
of　the　merchants　cursing　the　folly　of　Murad　the　Unlucky；　who；　as
they　said；　had　brought　all　this　calamity　upon　the　inhabitants　of
Cairo。　　Even　fools；　they　say；　learn　by　experience。　　I　took　care　to
burn　the　bed　on　which　I　had　lain　and　the　clothes　I　had　worn；　I
concealed　my　real　name；　which　I　knew　would　inspire　detestation；　and
gained　admittance；　with　a　crowd　of　other　poor　wretches；　into　a
lazaretto；　where　I　performed　quarantine　and　offered　up　prayers
daily　for　the　sick。

〃When　I　thought　it　was　impossible　I　could　spread　the　infection；　I
took　my　passage　home。　　I　was　eager　to　get　away　from　Grand　Cairo；
where　I　knew　I　was　an　object　of　execration。　　I　had　a　strange　fancy
haunting　my　mind；　I　imagined　that　all　my　misfortunes；　since　I　left
Constantinople；　had　arisen　from　my　neglect　of　the　talisman　upon　the
beautiful　china　vase。　　I　dreamed　three　times；　when　I　was　recovering
from　the　plague；　that　a　genius　appeared　to　me；　and　said；　in　a
reproachful　tone；　'Murad；　where　is　the　vase　that　was　entrusted　to
thy　care？'

〃This　dream　operated　strongly　upon　my　imagination。　　As　soon　as　we
arrived　at　Constantinople；　which　we　did；　to　my　great　surprise；
without　meeting　with　any　untoward　accidents；　I　went　in　search　of　my
brother　Saladin　to　inquire　for　my　vase。　　He　no　longer　lived　in　the
house　in　which　I　left　him；　and　I　began　to　be　apprehensive　that　he
was　dead；　but　a　porter；　hearing　my　inquiries；　exclaimed；　'Who　is
there　in　Constantinople　that　is　ignorant　of　the　dwelling　of　Saladin
the　Lucky？　　Come　with　me；　and　I　will　show　it　to　you。'

〃The　mansion　to　which　he　conducted　me　looked　so　magnificent　that　I
was　almost　afraid　to　enter　lest　there　should　be　some　mistake。　　But
whilst　I　was　hesitating　the　doors　opened；　and　I　heard　my　brother
Saladin's　voice。　　He　saw　me　almost　at　the　same　instant　that　I　fixed
my　eyes　upon　him；　and　immediately　sprang　forward　to　embrace　me。　　He
was　the　same　good　brother　as　ever；　and　I　rejoiced　in　his　prosperity
with　all　my　heart。　　'Brother　Saladin；'　said　I；　'can　you　now　doubt
that　some　men　are　born　to　be　fortunate　and　others　to　be
unfortunate？　　How　often　you　used　to　dispute　this　point　with　me！'

〃'Let　us　not　dispute　it　now　in　the　public　street；'　said　he；
smiling；　'but　come　in　and　refresh　yourself；　and　we　will　consider
the　question　afterwards　at　leisure。'

〃'No；　my　dear　brother；'　said　I；　drawing　back；　'you　are　too　good：
Murad　the　Unlucky　shall　not　enter　your　house；　lest　he　should　draw
down　misfortunes　upon　you　and　yours。　　I　come　only　to　ask　for　my
vase。'

〃'It　is　safe；'　cried　he；　'come　in；　and　you　shall　see　it：　　but　I
will　not　give　it　up　till　I　have　you　in　my　house。　　I　have　none　of
these　superstitious　fears：　　pardon　me　the　expression；　but　I　have
none　of　these　superstitious　fears。'

〃I　yielded；　entered　his　house；　and　was　astonished　at　all　I　saw。　　My
brother　did　not　triumph　in　his　prosperity；　but；　on　the　contrary；
seemed　intent　only　upon　making　me　forget　my　misfortunes：　　he
listened　to　the　account　of　them　with　kindness；　and　obliged　me　by
the　recital　of　his　history：　　which　was；　I　must　acknowledge；　far
less　wonderful　than　my　own。　　He　seemed；　by　his　own　account；　to　have
grown　rich　in　the　common　course　of　things；　or　rather；　by　his　own
prudence。　　I　allowed　for　his　prejudices；　and；　unwilling　to　dispute
farther　with　him；　said；　'You　must　remain　of　your　opinion；　brother；
and　I　of　mine；　you　are　Saladin　the　Lucky；　and　I　Murad　the　Unlucky；
and　so　we　shall　remain　to　the　end　of　our　lives。'

〃I　had　not　been　in　his　house　four　days　when　an　accident　happened；
which　showed　how　much　I　was　in　the　right。　　The　favourite　of　the
sultan；　to　whom　he　had　formerly　sold　his　china　vase；　though　her
charms　were　now　somewhat　faded　by　time；　still　retained　her　power
and　her　taste　for　magnificence。　　She　commissioned　my　brother　to
bespeak　for　her；　at　Venice；　the　most　splendid　looking…glass　that
money　could　purchase。　　The　mirror；　after　many　delays　and
disappointments；　at　length　arrived　at　my　brother's　house。　　He
unpacked　it；　and　sent　to　let　the　lady　know　it　was　in　perfect
safety。　　It　was　late　in　the　evening；　and　she　ordered　it　should
remain　where　it　was　that　night；　and　that　it　should　be　brought　to
the　seraglio　the　next　morning。　　It　stood　in　a　sort　of　ante…chamber
to　the　roo