Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 3.djvu/90

SIR, Schemſeddin Mohammed, when be heard Hump-back ſpeak thus, thought he was raving, and bid him move, and ſtand upon his Legs. I will take care how I do that, ſaid Hump-back, unleſs the Sun beriſen. Know, Sir, that when I came hither laſt Night, on a ſudden a black Cat appear’d to me, and in an inftant grew as big as a Buffalo: I have not forgot what he ſaid to me, therefore you may go about your Buſineſs, and leave me here. The Vizier, inſtead of going away, took him by the Heels, and made him get up. Then Hump-back ran as faſt as he could, without looking behind him; and coming to the Palace, preſented himſelf to the Sultan, who laugh’d heartily when he had told him the Story how the Genie had ſerv’d him.

Schemſeddin Mohammed returned to his Daughter’s Chamber, more aſtoniſh’d than before. Well then, my abuſed Daughter, ſaid he, can you give me no further Light into this matter? Sir, ſaid ſhe, I can give you no other account than what I have done already. Here are my Husband’s Cloaths which he left upon the Chair, perhaps you may find ſomewhat there that may ſolve your Doubt. Then ſhe ſhewd him Bedreddin’s Turban, which he took and examin’d narrowly on all fides. I ſhould take this to be a Vizier’s Turban, if it were not made after the Mouſſoul^[1] Faſhion. But perceiving ſomewhat to be ſew’d between the Stuff and the Lining; he call’d for Scizars, and having unzip’d it found the Paper which Noureddia Ali gave Bedreddin his Son as he was dying, and he put it in his Turban for more Security.

Sehemſeddin Mohammed, having open’d the Paper, knew his Brother Noureddin’s Hand, and foend this Subſcription. For my Son Bedreddin Hassan. Before he cou’d make any Reflections upon it, his Daughter deliver’d him the Bag, that lay under his Cloaths, which he likewiſe open’d, and found it full of Sequins; for, as I told you before, notwithſtanding all the Liberality of Bedreddin, it was ſtill kept full by the Genie and Fairy. He read theſe following Words upon a Note in the Bag. A thouſand Sequins belonging to Iſaac the Jew. And theſe Lines underneath, which the Jew wrote before he parted from Bedreddin