第105章 STORY OF THE HUNCHBACK(27)

And surely before long up came the old manwith his money in his hand；whereupon my brother rose and caught hold of himcrying out'Come to my helpO Muslimsand hear what befell me with this scoundrel！'When the old man heard thishe said to him'An thou loose me notI will expose thee before the folk！'In what wilt thou expose me？'asked my brotherand the other replied，'In that thou sellest man's flesh for mutton.'Thou liestO accursed one！'cried my brother： and the old man said'He is the accursed one who has a man hanging up in his shop.'If it be as thou sayest，'rejoined my brother'I give thee leave to take my property and my life.'Then said the old man'Hopeople of the city！an ye would prove the truth of my wordsenter this man's shop.'So they rushed into the shopwhen they saw the ram was become a dead man hanging up and seized on my brothercrying out'O infidel！O villain！'And his best friends fell to beating him and saying'Dost thou give us man's flesh to eat？'Moreover，the old man struck him on the eye and put it out. Then they carried the carcase to the chief of the policeto whom said the old man'O Amirthis fellow slaughters men and sells their flesh for muttonand we have brought him to thee；so arise and execute the justice of Godto whom belong might and majesty！'My brother would have defended himselfbut the prefect refused to hear him and sentenced him to receive five hundred blows with a stick and to forfeit all his property. And indeedbut for his wealththey had put him to death. Then he banished him from the city and my brother fared forth at a venturetill he came to a great citywhere he thought well to set up as a cobbler. So he opened a shop and fell to working for his living. One dayas he went on an occasionhe heard the tramp of horseand enquiring the causewas told that the King was going out to hunt and stopped to look on his state. It chanced that the King's eye met hiswhereupon he bowed his headsaying'I take refuge with God from the evil of this day！'And drawing bridlerode back to his palacefollowed by his retinue. Then he gave an order to his guardswho seized my brother and beat him grievouslytill he was well-nigh deadwithout telling him the reason： after which he returned to his shopin a sorry plightand told one of the King's householdwho laughed till he fell backward and said to him'O my brotherknow that the King cannot endure the sight of a one-eyed man；especially if he be blind of the left eyein which casehe does not let him go without killing him.'When my brother heard thishe resolved to fly that cityso went forth and repaired to another countrywhere he was known of none. Here he abode a long whiletill one daybeing heavy at heart for what had befallen himhe went out to divert himself. As he was walking alonghe heard the tramp of horse behind him；whereupon he exclaimed'The judgment of God is upon me！'and looked out for a hiding-placebut found none. At last he saw a closed door，and pushing against itit yielded and he found himself in a long corridorin which he took refuge. Hardly had he done sowhen two men laid hold of himexclaiming'Praise be to Godwho hath delivered thee into our handsO enemy of Allah！These three nights thou hast bereft us of sleep and given us no peace and made us taste the agonies of death！'O folk，'said my brother，'what ails you？'And they answered'Thou givest us the change and goest about to dishonour us and to murder the master of the house！Is it not enough that thou hast brought him to beggary，thou and thy comrades？ But give us up the knifewherewith thou threatenest us every night.'Then they searched him and found in his girdle the knife he used to cut leather；and he said'O folkhave the fear of God before your eyes and maltreat me not，for know that my story is a strange one.'What is thy story？'

asked they. So he told them what had befallen himhoping that they would let him go；howeverthey paid no heed to what he saidbut beat him and tore off his clothesand finding on his sides the marks of beating with rodssaid'O accursed one，these scars bear witness to thy guilt！'Then they carried him to the chief of the policewhilst he said to himself'I am undone for my sins and none can save me but God the Most High！'The prefect said to him'O villainwhat made thee enter their house with murderous intent？'O Amir，'replied my brother'I conjure thee by Allahhear my words and hasten not to condemn me！'But the two men said to the prefect'Wilt thou listen to a robber，who beggars the folk and has the scars of beating on his back？'

When the Amir saw the scars on my brother's sideshe said to him'They had not done this to theesave for some great crime.'

And he sentenced him to receive a hundred lashes. So they flogged him and mounting him on a camelparaded him about the city，crying out'This is the reward and the least of the reward of those who break into people's houses！'Then they thrust him forth the cityand he wandered at randomtill I heard what had befallen him and going in search of himquestioned him of his case. So he told me all that passed and I carried him back privily to Baghdadwhere I made him an allowance for his living.

Story of the Barber's Fifth Brother.