Next morning I took leave, left her another purse with fifty pieces of gold, and returned to my khan.

I continued to visit the lady every day, and to leave her every time a purse with fifty pieces of gold, till the merchants whom I employed to sell my goods, and whom I visited regularly twice a week, had paid me the whole amount of my goods and, in short, I came at last to be moneyless, and hopeless of having any more.

In this forlorn condition I walked out of my lodging, not knowing what course to take, and by chance went towards the castle, where there was a great crowd to witness a spectacle given by the sultan of Egypt.  As soon as I came up, I wedged in among the crowd, and by chance happened to stand by a horseman well mounted and handsomely clothed, who had upon the pommel of his saddle a bag, half open, with a string of green silk hanging out of it.  I clapped my hand to the bag, concluding the silk-twist might be the string of a purse within:  in the mean time a porter, with a load of wood upon his back, passed by on the other side of the horse so near, that the rider was forced to turn his head towards him, to avoid being hurt, or having his clothes torn by the wood.  In that moment the devil tempted me; I took the string in one hand, and with the other pulled out the purse so dexterously, that nobody perceived me.  The purse was heavy, and I did not doubt but it contained gold or silver.

As soon as the porter had passed, the horseman, who probably had some suspicion of what I had done while his head was turned, presently put his hand to his bag, and finding his purse was gone, gave me such a blow, that he knocked me down.  This violence shocked all who saw it.  Some took hold of the horse’s bridle to stop the gentleman, and asked him what reason he had to strike me, or how he came to treat a Mussulmaun so rudely.  “Do not you trouble yourselves,” said he briskly, “I had reason for what I did; this fellow is a thief.”  At these words I started up, and from my appearance every one took my part, and cried out he was a liar, for that it was incredible a young man such as I was should be guilty of so base an action:  but while they were holding his horse by the bridle to favour my escape, unfortunately passed by the judge, who seeing such a crowd about the gentleman on horseback, came up and asked what the matter was.  Every body present reflected on the gentleman for treating me so unjustly upon the presence of robbery.

The judge did not give ear to all that was said; but asked the cavalier if he suspected any body else beside me?  The cavalier told him he did not, and gave his reasons why he believed his suspicions not to be groundless.  Upon this the judge ordered his followers to seize me, which they presently did; and finding the purse upon me, exposed it to the view of all the people.  The disgrace was so great, I could not bear it, and I swooned away.  In the mean time the judge called for the purse.