same judgment.  While they were both eating, Bedreddin regarded Agib very attentively; and, after looking on him again and again, it occurred to him that, for any thing he knew, he might have such a son by his charming wife, from whom he had been so soon and so cruelly separated; and the very thoughts drew tears from his eyes.  He also intended to put some questions to little Agib about his journey to Damascus; but the child had no time to gratify his curiosity; for the eunuch, pressing him to return to his grandfather’s tent, took him away as soon as he had done eating.  Bedreddin, however, not contented with looking after him, shut up his shop immediately, and followed him.  The eunuch, perceiving that he followed them, was extremely surprised:  You impertinent fellow, said he, with an angry tone, what do you want?  My dear friend, replied Bedreddin, do not trouble yourself; I have a little business out of town that is just come into my head, and I must needs go and look after it.  This answer, however, did not at all appease the eunuch, who, turning to Agib, said, This is all owing to you; I foresaw that I should repent of my complaisance; you would needs go into the man’s shop; it was not wise in me to give you leave.  Perhaps, replied Agib, he has real business out of town, and the road is free to every body.

While this conversation passed, they kept walking together, without looking behind them, till they came near the vizier’s tents, when they turned about to see if Bedreddin followed them.  Agib, perceiving he was within two paces of him, grew red and white alternately, according to his different emotions; he was afraid that the grand vizier his grandfather should come to know that he had been in the pastry-shop, and had eaten there.  In this dread he took up a pretty large stone that lay at his foot, and throwing it at Bedreddin, hit him on the forehead, which gave him such a wound, that his face was covered with blood; he then took to his heels, and ran under the eunuch’s tent.  The eunuch gave Bedreddin to understand that he had no reason to complain of a mischance which he had merited and brought upon himself.  Bedreddin turned towards the city, staunching the blood with his apron, which he had not put off.  I was a fool, said he within himself, for leaving my house, to take so much pains about this brat; for doubtless he would never have used me after this manner, if he had not thought I had some fatal design against him; When he got home, he had his wound dressed, and softened the sense of his mischance by the reflection that there was an infinite number of people yet more unfortunate than himself.