Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/44

ſatisfy your Majeſty, who muſt pronounce whether we he worthy of Mercy or Wrath, Life or Death.

The Sultan of Caſgar look’d with a contented Air, and gave the Taylor and his Comrades their Lives. I cannot but acknowledge, ſays he, that I am more amazed with the Hiſtory of the young Cripple, with that of the Barber, and with the Adventures of his Brothers, than with the Story of my Jeſter: But before I ſend you all four away, and before we bury Hump, I would ſee the Barber who is the Cauſe that I have pardoned you: Since he is in my Capitol, it’s eaſy to ſatisfy my Curioſity: Ar the ſame time he ſent a Sergeant with the Taylor to go find him.

The Sergeant and the Taylor went immediately, and brought the Barber, whom they preſented to the Sultan; The Barber was an old Man of Ninety Years, his Eyebrows and Beard were white as Snow, his Ears hanging down, and he had a very long Noſe. The Sultan could not forbear laughing when he ſaw him. Silent Man, ſays he to him, I underſtand that you know wonderful Stories, Will you tell me ſome of then? Sir, anſwer’d the Barber, Let’s forbear the Stories if you pleaſe at preſent. I moſt humbly beg your Majeſty to permit me to ask what that Chriſtian, that Jew, that Muſſelman, and that dead Hump-back, who lies the Ground, do here before your Majeſty? The Sultan ſmiled at the Barber’s Liberty, and replied, Why do you ask? Sir, replied the Barber, It concerns me to ask, that your Majeſty may know I am not ſo great a Talker as ſome pretend, but a Man juſtly called Silent.

Scheherazade perceiving Day, held her Peace, and reſumed her Diſcourſe next Night, thus,

SIR, the Sultan of Caſgar was ſo complaiſant as to ſatisfy the Barber’s Curioſity. He commanded them to tell him of the Hump-back, which he earneſtly wiſhed for. When the Barber heard it, he ſhak’d his Head, as if he would ſay, there was ſomething under this which he did not underſtand: Truly, cries he, this is a ſurpriſing Story; but I am willing to examine Hump-back a little cloſely. He draws near him, ſat down on the Ground, took his Head between his Knees, and after he had look’d