He cried aloud to the executioner to suspend the
execution. The hangman, knowing the hussar, did not dare to
proceed, but untied the tailor; and then the hussar acquainted
the judge with the sultan's pleasure. The judge obeyed, and went
straight to the palace, accompanied by the tailor, the Jewish
doctor, and the Christian merchant; causing four of his men to
carry the hunch corpse along with him. The judge, on appearing
before the sultan, threw himself at the prince's feet, and, after
recovering himself, gave him a faithful relation of what he knew
of the story of the crump-backed man. The sultan found the story
so uncommon, that he ordered his private historians to write it
with all its circumstances. Then addressing himself to the
audience, Did you ever hear, said he, such a surprising story as
has happened on account of my little crooked buffoon? The
Christian merchant then, after falling down, and saluting the
earth with his forehead, spoke in the following manner: Most
puisant monarch, said he, I know a story even more astonishing
than that you have now spoken off; and if your majesty will give
me leave, I will tell it you. The circumstances are such, that
nobody can hear them without being moved. Well, said the sultan,
I give you leave; and the merchant went on as follows.
THE STORY TOLD BY THE CHRISTIAN MERCHANT.
Pages:
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460