adorable mistresses, do you command us to cut their throats?  Stay, says Zobeide, I must examine them first.  The frightened porter interrupted her thus:  In the name of Heaven, do not make me die for another man’s crime.  I am innocent, they are to blame.  Alas! says he, crying, how pleasantly did we pass our time! those blind calenders are the cause of this misfortune; there is no town in the world but goes to ruin, wherever these inauspicious fellows come.  Madam, I beg you not to destroy the innocent with the guilty, and consider that it is more glorious to pardon such a wretch as I, who have no way to help myself, than to sacrifice me to your resentment.

Zobeide, notwithstanding her anger, could not but laugh within herself at the porters lamentation; but, without answering him, she spoke a second time to the rest:  Answer me, says she, and tell me who you are, otherwise you shall not live one moment longer.  I cannot believe you to be honest men, nor persons of authority or distinction in your own countries; for, if you were, you would have been more modest and more respectful to us.

The caliph, who was naturally impatient, was infinitely more so than the rest, to find his life depend upon the command of a lady justly incensed; but he began to conceive some hopes when he saw she would know who they all were; for he imagined she would not take away his life when once she came to be informed who he was; therefore he spoke with a low voice to the vizier, who was near him, to declare speedily who he was; but the vizier, being more prudent, resolved to save his master’s honour, and not to let the world know the affront he had brought upon himself by his own weakness; and therefore answered, We have what we deserve.  But, if he would have spoken in obedience to the caliph, Zobeide did not give him time; for having turned to the calenders, and seeing them all three blind of one eye, she asked if they were brothers.  One of them answered, No, madam, no otherwise than as we are all calenders; that is to say, as we observe the same rules.  Were you born blind of the right eye? replied she.  No, madam, answers he, I lost my eye in such a surprising adventure, that it would be instructive to every body, were it in writing.  After this misfortune, I shaved my beard and eye-brows, and took the habit of a calender, which I now wear.

Zobeide asked the other two calenders the same question, and had the same answer; but he that spoke last added, Madam, to show you that we are no common fellows, and that you may have some consideration for us, be pleased to know, that we are all three sons of kings; and though we never met together till this evening, yet we have had time enough to make that known to one another; and I assure you that the kings from whom we derive our being made some noise in the world.

At this discourse Zobeide assuaged her anger, and said to the slaves, Give them their liberty a while, but stay here.  Those who tell us their history, and the occasion of their coming, do them no hurt, let them go where they please, but do not spare those who refuse to give vis that satisfaction.