murad the unlucky and other tales-第8部分

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that　musk　was　likewise　offensive　to　me。

〃The　Jew；　either　struck　by　his　own　conscience　or　observing　my
suspicions；　turned　as　pale　as　death。　　He　pretended　he　had　not　the
right　key；　and　could　not　unlock　the　chest；　said　he　must　go　in
search　of　it；　and　that　he　would　call　on　me　again。

〃After　he　had　left　me；　I　examined　some　writing　upon　the　lid　of　the
chest　that　had　been　nearly　effaced。　　I　made　out　the　word　'Smyrna；'
and　this　was　sufficient　to　confirm　all　my　suspicions。　　The　Jew
returned　no　more；　he　sent　some　porters　to　carry　away　the　chest；　and
I　heard　nothing　of　him　for　some　time；　till　one　day；　when　I　was　at
the　house　of　Damat　Zade；　I　saw　a　glimpse　of　the　Jew　passing　hastily
through　one　of　the　courts；　as　if　he　wished　to　avoid　me。　　'My
friend；'　said　I　to　Damat　Zade；　'do　not　attribute　my　question　to
impertinent　curiosity；　or　to　a　desire　to　intermeddle　with　your
affairs；　if　I　venture　to　ask　the　nature　of　your　business　with　the
Jew　who　has　just　now　crossed　your　court？'

〃'He　has　engaged　to　supply　me　with　clothing　for　my　slaves；'　replied
my　friend；　'cheaper　than　I　can　purchase　it　elsewhere。　　I　have　a
design　to　surprise　my　daughter　Fatima；　on　her　birthday；　with　an
entertainment　in　the　pavilion　in　the　garden；　and　all　her　female
slaves　shall　appear　in　new　dresses　on　the　occasion。'

〃I　interrupted　my　friend；　to　tell　him　what　I　suspected　relative　to
this　Jew　and　his　chest　of　clothes。　　It　is　certain　that　the
infection　of　the　plague　can　be　communicated　by　clothes；　not　only
after　months；　but　after　years　have　elapsed。　　The　merchant　resolved
to　have　nothing　more　to　do　with　this　wretch；　who　could　thus　hazard
the　lives　of　thousands　of　his　follow…creatures　for　a　few　pieces　of
gold。　　We　sent　notice　of　the　circumstance　to　the　cadi；　but　the　cadi
was　slow　in　his　operations；　and　before　he　could　take　the　Jew　into
custody　the　cunning　fellow　had　effected　his　escape。　　When　his　house
was　searched；　he　and　his　chest　had　disappeared。　　We　discovered　that
he　sailed　for　Egypt；　and　rejoiced　that　we　had　driven　him　from
Constantinople。

〃My　friend；　Damat　Zade；　expressed　the　warmest　gratitude　to　me。
'You　formerly　saved　my　fortune；　you　have　now　saved　my　life；　and　a
life　yet　dearer　than　my　own：　　that　of　my　daughter　Fatima。'

〃At　the　sound　of　that　name　I　could　not；　I　believe；　avoid　showing
some　emotion。　　I　had　accidentally　seen　this　lady；　and　I　had　been
captivated　by　her　beauty　and　by　the　sweetness　of　her　countenance；
but　as　I　knew　she　was　destined　to　be　the　wife　of　another；　I
suppressed　my　feeling；　and　determined　to　banish　the　recollection　of
the　fair　Fatima　for　ever　from　my　imagination。　　Her　father；　however；
at　this　instant　threw　into　my　way　a　temptation　which　it　required
all　my　fortitude　to　resist。　　'Saladin；'　continued　he；　'it　is　but
just　that　you；　who　have　saved　our　lives；　should　share　our
festivity。　　Come　here　on　the　birthday　of　my　Fatima；　I　will　place
you　in　a　balcony　which　overlooks　the　garden；　and　you　shall　see　the
whole　spectacle。　　We　shall　have　a　feast　of　tulips；　in　imitation　of
that　which；　as　you　know；　is　held　in　the　grand　seignior's　gardens。
I　assure　you　the　sight　will　be　worth　seeing；　and　besides；　you　will
have　a　chance　of　beholding　my　Fatima；　for　a　moment；　without　her
veil。'

〃'That；'　interrupted　I；　'is　the　thing　I　most　wish　to　avoid。　　I　dare
not　indulge　myself　in　a　pleasure　which　might　cost　me　the　happiness
of　my　life。　　I　will　conceal　nothing　from　you；　who　treat　me　with　so
much　confidence。　　I　have　already　beheld　the　charming　countenance　of
your　Fatima；　but　I　know　that　she　is　destined　to　be　the　wife　of　a
happier　man。'

〃Damat　Zade　seemed　much　pleased　by　the　frankness　with　which　I
explained　myself；　but　he　would　not　give　up　the　idea　of　my　sitting
with　him　in　the　balcony　on　the　day　of　the　feast　of　tulips；　and　I；
on　my　part；　could　not　consent　to　expose　myself　to　another　view　of
the　charming　Fatima。　　My　friend　used　every　argument；　or　rather
every　sort　of　persuasion；　he　could　imagine　to　prevail　upon　me；　he
then　tried　to　laugh　me　out　of　my　resolution；　and；　when　all　failed；
he　said；　in　a　voice　of　anger；　'Go；　then；　Saladin：　　I　am　sure　you
are　deceiving　me；　you　have　a　passion　for　some　other　woman；　and　you
would　conceal　it　from　me；　and　persuade　me　you　refuse　the　favour　I
offer　you　from　prudence；　when；　in　fact；　it　is　from　indifference　and
contempt。　　Why　could　you　not　speak　the　truth　of　your　heart　to　me
with　that　frankness　with　which　one　friend　should　treat　another？'

〃Astonished　at　this　unexpected　charge；　and　at　the　anger　which
flashed　from　the　eyes　of　Damat　Zade；　who　till　this　moment　had
always　appeared　to　me　a　man　of　a　mild　and　reasonable　temper；　I　was
for　an　instant　tempted　to　fly　into　a　passion　and　leave　him；　but
friends；　once　lost；　are　not　easily　regained。　　This　consideration
had　power　sufficient　to　make　me　command　my　temper。　　'My　friend；'
replied　I；　'we　will　talk　over　this　affair　to…morrow。　　You　are　now
angry；　and　cannot　do　me　justice；　but　to…morrow　you　will　be　cool；
you　will　then　be　convinced　that　I　have　not　deceived　you；　and　that　I
have　no　design　but　to　secure　my　own　happiness；　by　the　most　prudent
means　in　my　power；　by　avoiding　the　sight　of　the　dangerous　Fatima。
I　have　no　passion　for　any　other　woman。'

〃'Then；'　said　my　friend；　embracing　me；　and　quitting　the　tone　of
anger　which　he　had　assumed　only　to　try　my　resolution　to　the　utmost；
'Then；　Saladin；　Fatima　is　yours。'

〃I　scarcely　dared　to　believe　my　senses；　I　could　not　express　my　joy！
'Yes；　my　friend；'　continued　the　merchant；　'I　have　tried　your
prudence　to　the　utmost；　it　has　been　victorious；　and　I　resign　my
Fatima　to　you；　certain　that　you　will　make　her　happy。　　It　is　true　I
had　a　greater　alliance　in　view　for　herthe　Pacha　of　Maksoud　has
demanded　her　from　me；　but　I　have　found；　upon　private　inquiry；　he　is
addicted　to　the　intemperate　use　of　opium；　and　my　daughter　shall
never　be　the　wife　of　one　who　is　a　violent　madman　one…half　the　day
and　a　melancholy　idiot　during　the　remainder。　　I　have　nothing　to
apprehend　from　the　pacha's　resentment；　because　I　have　powerful
friends　with　the　grand　vizier；　who　will　oblige　him　to　listen　to
reason；　and　to　submit　quietly　to　a　disappointment　he　so　justly
merits。　　And　now；　Saladin；　have　you　any　objection　to　seeing　the
feast　of　tulips？'

〃I　replied　only　by　falling　at　the　merchant's　feet；　and　embracing
his　knees。　　The　feast　of　tulips　came　and　on　that　day　I　was　married
to　the　charming　Fatima！　　The　charming　Fatima　I　continue　still　to
think　her；　though　she　has　now　been　my　wife　some　years。　　She　is　the
joy　and　pride　of　my　heart；　and；　from　our　mutual　affection；　I　have
experienced　more　felicity　than　from　all　the　other　circumstances　of
my　life；　which　are　called　so　fortunate。　　Her　father　gave　me　the
house　in　which　I　now　live；　and　joined　his　possessions　to　ours；　so
that　I　have　more　wealth　even　than　I　desire。　　My　riches；　however；
give　me　continually　the　means　of　relieving　the　wants　of　others；　and
therefore　I　cannot　affect　to　despise　them。　　I　must　persuade　my
brother　Murad　to　share　them　with　me；　and　to　forget　his　misfortunes：
I　shall　then　think　myself　completely　happy。　　As　to　the　sultana's
looking…glass　and　your　broken　vase；　my　dear　brother；〃　continued
Saladin；　〃we　must　think　of　some　means〃

〃Think　no　more　of　the　sultana's　looking…glass　or　of　the　broken
vase；〃　exclaimed　the　sultan；　throwing　aside　his　merchant's　habit；
and　showing　beneath　it　his　own　imperial　vest。　　〃Saladin；　I　rejoice
to　have　heard；　from　your　own　lips；　the　history　of　your　life。　　I
acknowledge；　vizier；　I　have　been　in　the　wrong　in　our　argument；〃
continued　the　sultan；　turning　to　his　vizier。　　〃I　acknowledge　that
the　histories　of　Saladin　the　Lucky　and　Murad　the　Unlucky　favour
your　opinion；　that　prudence　has　more　influence　than　chance　in　human
affairs。　　The　success　and　happiness　of　Saladin　seem　to　me　to　have
arisen　from　his　prudence：　　by　that　prudence　Constantinople　has　been
saved　from　flames　and　from　the　plague。　　Had　Murad　possessed　his
brother's　discretion；　he　would　not　have　been　on　the　point　of　losing
his　head；　for　selling　rolls　which　he　did　not　bake：　　he　would　not
have　been　kicked　by　a　mule　or　bastinadoed　for　finding　a　ring：　　he
would　not　have　been　robbed　by　one　party　of　soldiers；　or　shot　by
another：　　he　would　not　have　been　lost　in　a　desert；　or　cheated　by　a
Jew：　　he　would　not　have　set　a　ship　on　fire；　nor　would　he　have
caught　the　plague；　and　spread　it　through　Grand　Cairo：　　he　would　not
have　run　my　sultana's　looking…glass　through　the　body；　instead　of　a
robber：　　he　would　not　have　believed　that　the　fate　of　his　life
depended　on　certain　verses　on　a　china　vase：　　nor　would　he；　at　last；
have　broken　this　precious　talisman；　by　washing　it　with　hot　water。
Henceforward；　let　Murad　the　Unlucky　be　named　Murad　the　Imprudent：
let　Saladin　preserve　the　surname　he　merits；　and　be　henceforth
called　Saladin　the　Prudent。〃

So　spake　the　sultan；　who；　unlike　the　generality　of　monarchs；　could
bear　to　find　himself　in　the　wrong；　and　could　discover　his　vizier　to
be　in　the　right　without　cutting　off　his　head。　　History　farther
informs　us　that　the　sultan　offered　to　make　Saladin　a　pacha；　and　to
commit　to　him　the　government　of　a　province；　but；　Saladin　the
Prudent　declined　this　honour；　saying　he　had　no　ambition；　was
perfectly　happy　in　his　present　situation；　and　that；　when　this　was
the　case；　it　would　be　folly　to　change；　because　no　one　can　be　more
than　happy。　　What　farther　adventures　befell　Murad　the　Imprudent　are
not　recorded；　it　is　known　only　that　he　became　a　daily　visitor　to
the　Teriaky；　and　that　he　died　a　martyr　to　the　immoderate　use　of
opium。




THE　LIMERICK　GLOVES




It　was　Sunday　morning；　and　a　fine　day　in　autumn；　the　bells　of
Hereford　Cathedral　rang；　and　all　the　world；　smartly　dressed；　were
flocking　to　church。

〃Mrs。　Hill！　　Mrs。　Hill！Phoebe！　Phoebe！　　There's　the　cathedral
bell；　I　say；　and　neither　of　you　ready　for　church；　and　I　a　verger；〃
cried　Mr。　Hill；　the　tanner；　as　he　stood　at　the　bottom　of　his　own
staircase。　　〃I'm　ready；　papa；〃　replied　Phoebe；　and　down　she　came；
looking　so　clean；　so　fresh；　and　so　gay；　that　her　stern　father's
brows　unbent；　and　he　could　only　say　to　her；　as　she　was　drawing　on　a
new　pair　of　gloves；　〃Child；　you　ought　to　have　had　those　gloves　on
before　this　time　of　day。〃

〃Before　this　t