When I was brought before him, I observed he looked upon me with an eye of compassion, from whence I prophesied good things.  He ordered me to be untied, and addressing himself to the jeweller who accused me, and to my landlord, Is this the man, said he, who sold the pearl necklace?  They had no sooner answered yes, than he said, I am sure he did not steal the necklace, and I am much astonished at the injustice that has been done him.  These words giving me courage, Sir, said I, I do assure you that I am really innocent, and am likewise persuaded that the necklace never did belong to my accuser, whose horrible perfidiousness is the cause of my unjust treatment.  It is true, I made a confession as if I had stolen it; but this was contrary to my conscience, through the force of torture, and for another reason that I am ready to tell you, if you will be so good as hear me.  I know enough of it already, replied the governor, to do you one part of the justice that is due to you:  take from hence, continued he, the false accuser, and let him undergo the same punishment which he caused to be inflicted on this young man, whose innocence is known to me.

The governor’s orders were immediately put in execution, and the jeweller was punished according to his demerit.  Then the governor, having ordered all the company to withdraw, said to me, My child, tell me without fear how this necklace fell into your hands; conceal nothing of the matter from me.  Then I told him plainly all that had passed, and declared I had chosen rather to pass for a thief, than to reveal that tragical adventure.  Good God! said the governor, thy judgments are incomprehensible, and we ought to submit to them without murmuring.  I receive, with an entire submission, the stroke thou hast been pleased to inflict upon me.  Then directing his discourse to me, My child, said he, having now heard the cause of your disgrace, for which I am much concerned, I will give you an account of the disgrace that befel me.  Know, then, that I am the father of those two young ladies of whom you were just speaking.  I know that the first lady, who had the impudence to come to your house, was my eldest daughter.  I had given her in marriage to one of her cousins, my own brother’s son, at Cairo.  Her husband died, and she returned home corrupted with all manner of wickedness, which she had learned in Egypt.  Before I took her home, her younger sister, who died in that deplorable manner in your arms, was a very prudent young woman, and had never given me any occasion to complain of her conduct; but, after that, the eldest sister grew very intimate with her, and insensibly made her as wicked as herself.

The day after the death of the youngest, not finding her at table, I asked her eldest sister what was become of her?  But she, instead of answering, fell a-crying bitterly, from which I formed a fatal presage.  I pressed her to inform me of what I asked her.  My father, said she, with sobs, I can tell you no more than that my sister put on her best clothes yesterday, and her fine necklace, and went abroad, and has not been heard of since.  I made search of my daughter all over the town, but could learn nothing of her unhappy fate.  In the mean time, the eldest, who doubtless repented of her jealous fury, very much bewailed the death of her sister, and denied herself all manner of food, and so put an end to her deplorable days.