him, he wrote to the king of Damascus, to cause our house to be plundered and razed, and to expose my daughter and myself three days successively, naked, to the populace, and then to banish us out of Syria for ever.  But how unworthy soever our usage has been, I should be still comforted were my son alive, and I could meet with him.  What a pleasure would it be for his sister and me to see him again!  Embracing him we should forget the loss of our property, and all the evils we have suffered on his account.  Alas!  I am fully persuaded he is only the innocent cause of them; and that he is no more guilty towards the caliph than his sister and myself.”

“No doubt of it,” said Fetnah, interrupting her there, “he is no more guilty than you are; I can assure you of his innocence; for I am that very Fetnah, you so much complain of; who, through some fatality in my stars, have occasioned you so many misfortunes.  To me you must impute the loss of your son, if he is no more; but if I have occasioned your misfortune, I can in some measure relieve it.  I have already justified Ganem to the caliph; who has caused it to be proclaimed throughout his dominions, that he pardons the son of Abou Ayoub; and doubt not he will do you as much good as he has done you injury.  You are no longer his enemies.  He waits for Ganem, to requite the service he has done me, by uniting our fortunes; he gives me to him for his consort, therefore look on me as your daughter, and permit me to vow eternal duty and affection.”  “Having so said, she bowed down on Ganem’s mother, who was so astonished that she could return no answer.  Fetnah held her long in her arms, and only left her to embrace the daughter, who, sitting up, held out her arms to receive her.

When the caliph’s favourite had strewn the mother and daughter all tokens of affection, as Ganem’s wife, she said to them, “The wealth Ganem had in this city is not lost, it is in my apartment in the palace; but I know all the treasure of the world cannot comfort you without Ganem, if I may judge of you by myself.  Blood is no less powerful than love in great minds; but why should we despair of seeing him again?  We shall find him; the happiness of meeting with you makes me conceive fresh hopes.  Perhaps this is the last day of your sufferings, and the beginning of a greater felicity than you enjoyed in Damascus, when Ganem was with you.”

Fetnah would have proceeded, but the syndic of the jewellers coming in interrupted her:  “Madam,” said he to her, “I come from seeing a very moving object, it is a young man, whom a camel-driver had just carried to an hospital:  he was bound with cords on a camel, because he had not strength enough to sit.  They had already unbound him, and were carrying him into the hospital, when I happened to pass by.  I went up to the young man, viewed him attentively, and fancied his countenance was not altogether unknown to me.  I asked him some questions concerning his family and his country; but all the answers I