224 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

since. I did not at first perceive the full extent of my mis
fortune ; I therefore made haste to get up, and ran away from
the people who were laughing at me. At the same time I scat-
tered a handful or two of gold and silver, with which I had filled
my purse, and while they were stopping to pick it up, I made
my escape by passing through several private streets. But the
hateful barber never once lost sight of me; and all the time he
continued calling aloud, * Stop, sir, why do you run so fast?
You know not how much I have felt for you on account of the
ill-usage you have received from the cadi. Where then, my lord,
are you running? Pray wait for me.’

“Tt was in this manner that the unlucky barber kept calling
out to me all through the street. This put me into such a rage
that I could have stopped and strangled him, but that would
only have increased my destruction. Just at this time I observed
a khan, the master of which was standing at the door. ‘ In the
name of Heaven,’ I cried, ‘do me the favour to prevent that
mad fellow from following me in here.” He not only promised
me to do so, but he kept his word, although it was not without
great difficulty: for the obstinate barber attempted to force an
entrance in spite of him. Nor did he retire before he uttered a
thousand abusive words.

“It was thus that I got rid of this tiresome man. The master
of the khan permitted me to remain in his house till I was
cured, when I set out from Bagdad, gentlemen, and arrived
here. I had every reason, at least, to hope that I should not
have met with this mischievous barber in a country so distant
from my own; and I now discover him in your company. Be
not therefore surprised at my anxiety and eagerness to retire.
You may judge of the painful sensations the sight of this man
causes me, through whose means I became lame, and was re-
duced to the necessity of giving up my relations, my friends, and
my country.”

Having made this speech, the lame young man got up and
went out. The master of the house conducted him to the door,
assuring him that it gave him great pain to have been the cause,
though innocently, of so great a mortification.

When the young man was gone (continued the tailor), we still
remained very much astonished at his history. We cast our