第104章 STORY OF THE HUNCHBACK(26)

answered the master of the house. 'O man，'answered my brother'why couldst thou not tell me this downstairs？'O loser，'answered he'why didst thou not answer mewhen I asked who was at the door？'Quoth my brother'What wilt thou with me now？'And the other replied'I have nothing to give thee.'Then take me down again，'said my brother. But he answered'The way lies before thee.'So my brother rose and made his way down the stairstill he came within twenty steps of the doorwhen his foot slipped and he rolled to the bottom and broke his head. Then he went outknowing not whither to turnand presently fell in with other two blind mencomrades of hiswho enquired how he had fared that day. He told them what had passed and said to them'O my brothersI wish to take some of the money in my hands and provide my self with it.'Now the master of the house had followed him and heard what they saidbut neither my brother nor his fellows knew of this. So my brother went on to his lodging and sat down to await his comradesand the owner of the house entered after him without his knowledge. When the other blind men arrivedmy brother said to them'Shut the door and search the houselest any stranger have followed us.'The intruderhearing thiscaught hold of a rope that hung from the ceiling and clung to itwhilst the blind men searched the whole placebut found nothing. So they came back and sitting down beside my brotherbrought out their moneywhich they counted，and loit was twelve thousand dirhems. Each took what he wanted and the rest they buried in a corner of the room. Then they set on food and sat down to eat. Presently my brother heard a strange pair of jaws wagging at his side；so he said to his comrades，'There is a stranger amongst us；'and putting out his hand，caught hold of that of the intruder. Therewith they all fell on him and beat himcrying out'O Muslimsa thief is come in to usseeking to take our property！'So much people flocked to themwhereupon the owner of the house caught hold of the blind men and shutting his eyesfeigned to be blind like unto themso that none doubted of it. Then he complained of themeven as they of himcrying out'O MuslimsI appeal to God and the Sultan and the chief of the police！I have a grave matter to make known to the chief of the police.'At this momentup came the watch and seizing them alldragged them before the chief of the policewho enquired what was the matter. Quoth the spy'See here；thou shalt come at nought except by torture： so begin by beating meand after mebeat this my captain.'And he pointed to my brother. So they threw the man down and gave him four hundred strokes on the backside. The beating pained himand he opened one eye；and as they redoubled their blowshe opened the other. When the chief of the police saw thishe said to him，'What is thisO accursed one？'Give me the seal-ring of pardon！'replied he. 'We are four who feign ourselves blind and impose upon peoplethat we may enter houses and gaze upon women and contrive for their corruption. In this waywe have gotten much moneyeven twelve thousand dirhems. So I said to my comrades'Give me my sharethree thousand dirhems.'But they fell on me and beat me and took away my moneyand I appeal to God and thee for protection；better thou have my share than they.

Soan thou wouldst know the truth of my wordsbeat each of the others more than thou hast beaten me and he will surely open his eyes.'The prefect bade begin with my brother： so they bound him to the whipping-postand the prefect said'O rascals，do ye abjure the gracious gifts of God and pretend to be blind？'

'Allah！Allah！'cried my brother'by Allahthere is not one amongst us who can see！'Then they beat himtill he fainted and the prefect said'Leave him till he revives and then beat him again.'And he caused each of the others to be beaten with more than three hundred blowswhilst the sham blind man stood by，saying to them'Open your eyesor you will be beaten anew.'

Then he said to the prefect'Send some one with me to fetch the moneyfor these fellows will not open their eyeslest they be put to shame before the folk.'So the prefect sent to fetch the money and gave the impostor three thousand dirhems to his pretended share. The rest he took for himself and banished the three blind men from the city. ButO Commander of the Faithful，I went out and overtaking my brotherquestioned him of his case；whereupon he told me what I have told thee. So I carried him back privily into the city and appointed him in secret wherewithal to eat and drink.'The Khalif laughed at my story and said'Give him a present and let him go.'By Allah，'rejoined I'I will take nothing till I have made known to the Commander of the Faithful what happened to my other brothersfor I am a man of few words.'Then I went on as follows Story of the Barber's Fourth Brother.

'My fourth brotherthe one-eyedwas a butcher at Baghdadwho sold meat and reared rams；and the notables and men of wealth used to buy meat of himso that he amassed much wealth and got him cattle and houses. He fared thus a long while'till one day，as he was sitting in his shopthere came up to him an old man with a long beardwho laid down some money and said'Give me meat for this.'So he gave him his money's worth of meatand the old man went away. My brother looked at the money he had paid himand seeing that it was brilliantly whitelaid it aside by itself. The old man continued to pay him frequent visits for five monthsand my brother threw the money he received from him into a chest by itself. At the end of this timehe thought to take out the money to buy sheep；so he opened the chestbut found in it nothing but white papercut round. When he saw thishe buffeted his face and cried outtill the folk came round him and he told them his storyat which they wondered. Then he roseas of his wontand slaughtering a ramhung it up within the shop；after which he cut off some of the meat and hung it up outside，saying the while'Would God that pestilent old man would come！'