Though he was drunk, he
was sensible that the night was far spent, and that the people
would quickly be called to the morning prayers, which begin at
break of day; he therefore quickened his pace to get in time to
the bath, lest a Turk, meeting him in his way to the mosque,
should carry him to prison for a drunkard. When he came to the
end of the street, he stopped on some necessary occasion, and
leaned against the shop where the sultan's purveyor had put the
hunch-backed corpse; but the corpse being jostled, tumbled upon
the merchant's back. The merchant thinking it was a robber that
came to attack him, knocked him down with a hearty box on the
ear, and, after redoubling his blows, cried out, Thieves! The
outcry alarmed the watch, who came up immediately; and finding a
Christian beating a Turk, (for crump-back was of our religion),
What reason have you, said he, to abuse a Mussulman after this
rate? He would have robbed me, replied the merchant, and jumped
upon my back with intent to take me by the throat. If he did,
said the watch, you have revenged yourself sufficiently; come,
get off him. At the same time he stretched out his hand to help
little crump-back up: but observing that he was dead, Ah!
hey-day! said he, is it thus that a Christian dares to
assassinate a Mussulman? So he laid hold of the Christian, and
carried him to the sheriff's house, where he was kept till the
judge was up, and ready to examine him.
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