. BABA ABDALLA. THE BLIND MAN. 383

The dervise gave up to me, without an objection, the ten
camels | demanded ; so that there remained with him no more
than twenty. After this I think I ought to have been contented ;
but, like a person in a dropsy, who the more he drinks the more
thirsty he grows, I became still more earnest than before to
obtain the last twenty, which the dervise yet possessed.

I redoubled my solicitations, and my importunity to induce
the dervise to give me up ten of those twenty. He readily con-
sented ; and with regard to the remaining ten, I embraced him,
and conjured him with all the address I was able, not to refuse
me these ; and I was overjoyed at hearing him say he consented.
“ Make a proper use of them, brother,” added he; “and remem-
ber, that Heaven can take away riches from us, as it bestows
them upon us, if we do not employ them in the service of the
poor. It now came into my mind, that the little box of ointment
which the dervise had taken, might be something more precious
than all the wealth for which I had yet been obliged to him,
This determined me to prepare for trying to obtain it. “I have
now recollected,” said J, “to ask you what you mean to do with
that little box of ointment? Pray make me a present of it; a
dervise like you, who have renounced the vanities of the world,
can have no occasion for ointment.”

Far from refusing me the box, the dervise immediately took it
from his bosom, and, presenting it to me with the best humour
in the world, “ There, brother,’ said he, “take it; you are
welcome to this also.” “Since,” said I, “you are so very
friendly, and that you are never tired of obliging me, I beseech
you, tell me the particular use of this ointment.” “The use
of it is surprising and marvellous,” replied the dervise. “If
you apply a little of this ointment round the left eye and upon
the eyelid, all the treasures concealed within the bosom of
the earth will appear to your view ; but if you make the same
application to the right eye, you will become blind.”

I wished myself to experience an effect so wonderful. ‘Take
the box,” said I, as I offered it to him, “and do you apply this
ointment to my left eye.” The dervise very readily undertook
the business ; he made me shut my left eye, and applied the
ointment. When he had done, I opened my eye, and found
he had told me the truth. In fact, I saw an infinite number
ef places filled with riches so prodigious and in such variety,