My brother, without taking notice that he observed them,
(so his stars would have it) jested likewise with her. The
Beduin, immediately supposing that they lived together in a
criminal manner, fell upon my brother in a rage, and after he had
mangled him in a barbarous manner, he carried him on a camel to
the top of a desert mountain, where he left him. The mountain was
on the way to Bagdad, so that the passengers who passed that road
gave me an account of the place where he was. I went thither
speedily, where I found the unfortunate Schacabac in a deplorable
condition: I gave him what help he stood in need of, and brought
him back to the city.
This is what I told the caliph, added the barber; that prince
applauded me with new fits of laughter. Now, said he, I cannot
doubt that they justly gave you the surname of Silent; nobody can
say the contrary. For certain reasons, however, I command you to
depart this town immediately, and let me hear no more of your
discourse. I yielded to necessity, and went to travel several
years in far countries. I understood at last that the caliph was
dead, and returned to Bagdad, where I found not one of my
brethren alive. It was on my return to this town that I did the
important service to the same young man which you have heard. You
are, however, witness of his ingratitude, and of the injurious
manner in which he treated me.
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