you were speaking of.  The first lady, who had the impudence to come to your house, was my eldest daughter.  I had given her in marriage at Cairo to one of her cousins, my brother’s son.  Her husband died, and she returned home corrupted by every vice too often contracted in Egypt.  Before I took her home, her younger sister, who died in that deplorable manner in your arms, was a truly virtuous girl, and had never given me any occasion to complain of her conduce.  But after that, the elder sister became very intimate with her, and insensibly made her as wicked as herself.  The day after the death of the younger not finding her at home, I asked her elder sister what was become of her; but she, instead of answering, affected to weep bitterly; from whence I formed a fatal presage.  I pressed her to inform me of what she knew respecting her sister ‘Father,’ replied she, sobbing, ‘I can tell you no more than that my sister put on yesterday her richest dress, with her valuable pearl necklace, went out, and has not been heard of since.’  I searched for her all over the town, but could learn nothing of her unhappy fate.  In the mean time the elder, who doubtless repented of her jealous fury, became melancholy, and incessantly bewailed the death of her sister; she denied her self all manner of food, and so put an end to her deplorable days.  Such is the condition of mankind! such are the misfortunes to which we are exposed!  However, my son,” added he, “since we are both of us equally unfortunate, let us unite our sorrow, and not abandon one another.  I will give you in marriage a third daughter I have still left, she is younger than her sisters, and in no respect imitates their conduct; besides, she is handsomer, and I assure you is of a disposition calculated to make you happy.  You shall have no other house but mine, and, after my death, you and she shall be heirs to all my property.”  “My lord,” I replied, “I am overcome by your favours, and shall never be able to make a sufficient acknowledgment.”  “Enough,” said he, interrupting me, “let us not waste time in idle words.”  He then called for witnesses, ordered the contract of marriage to be drawn, and I became the husband of his third daughter.  He was not satisfied with punishing the jeweller, who had falsely accused me, but confiscated for my use all his property, which was very considerable.  As for the rest, since you have been called to the governor’s house, you may have seen what respect they pay me there.  I must tell you further, that a person despatched by my uncles to Egypt, on purpose to inquire for me there, passing through this city found me out last night, and delivered me a letter from them.  They inform me of my father’s death, and invite me to come and take possession of his property at Moussol.  But as the alliance and friendship of the governor have fixed me here, and will not suffer me to leave him, I have sent back the express with a power, which will secure to me my inheritance.  After what you have heard, I hope you will pardon my seeming incivility during the course of my illness, in giving you my left instead of my right hand.