108 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

in the same way, which, like the rest, I ate alone. As soon as :t
was finished, the old man presented each of us with a cup of wine.

My history appeared to them so extraordinary, that they
made me repeat it when supper was over. This afterwards led
to a conversation, which lasted great part of the night. One of
the young men now observing that it was so late, said to the old
one, “You see that it is time to retire to rest, and yet you do
not bring us what is necessary for us to discharge our duty.”
At this the old man got up, and went into a cabinet, from
whence he brought upon his head ten basins, one after the
other, all covered with blue stuff; he placed one of them with
a torch before each of the young men. They uncovered their
basins, in which there were some ashes, some charcoal in
powder, and some lamp-black. They mixed all these together,
and began to rub them over their faces, and smear their counte-
nances until their appearance was very frightful. After they
had blacked themselves over in this manner, they began to
weep, to make great lamentations, and to beat their head and
breast, calling out incessantly all the time, “Behold the conse
quences of our idleness.”

They passed almost the whole night in this strange occupa-
tion ; at last they gave over, when the old man brought them
some water in which they washed their face and hands. They
then took off their dresses, which were much torn, and put on
others, so that they did not appear to have been engaged in
those extraordinary occupations to which I had been a witness.
Judge what was my fear during all this time. I was tempted a
thousand times to break the silence which they had imposed
upon me, for the purpose of asking them questions ; nor could
I, during the remainder of the night, get any rest.

The following morning I said unto them, “I must inform you.
gentlemen, that I renounce the law you imposed upon me last
night, as I can no longer observe it. I cannot refrain from
inquiring for what reason you daubed your faces with ashes,
charcoal, and black paint, and how you have all lost an eye.”
Notwithstanding my entreaties, they only answered that the
inquiries I made did not relate to me, that I had no interest in
their actions, and that I might remain in peace. We passed the
day in conversing upon different subjects, and, when night came,
the scene was repeated.