broke open the door, and had much ado to separate the combatants; but having at last succeeded, they asked the cause of their quarrel.  My brother, who still had hold of the robber, cried out, “Gentlemen, this man I have hold of is a thief, and stole in with us on purpose to rob us of the little money we have.”  The thief, who shut his eyes as soon as the neighbours came, feigned himself blind, and exclaimed, “Gentlemen, he is a liar.  I swear to you by heaven, and by the life of the caliph, that I am their companion, and they refuse to give me my just share.  They have all three fallen upon me, and I demand justice.”  The neighbours would not interfere in their quarrel, but carried them all before the judge.

When they came before the magistrate, the robber, without staying to be examined, cried out, still feigning himself blind, “Sir, since you are deputed to administer justice by the caliph, whom God prosper, I declare to you that we are equally criminal, my three comrades and I; but we have all engaged, upon oath, to confess nothing except we be bastinadoed; so that if you would know our crime, you need only order us to be bastinadoed, and begin with me.”  My brother would have spoken, but was not allowed to do so:  and the robber was put under the bastinado.

The robber being under the bastinado, had the courage to bear twenty or thirty blows; when, pretended to be overcome with pain, he first opened one eve, and then the other, and crying out for mercy, begged the judge would put a stop to the blows.  The judge perceiving that he looked upon him with his eyes open, was much surprised, and said to him, “Rogue, what is the meaning of this miracle?” “Sir,” replied the robber, “I will discover to you an important secret, if you will pardon me, and give me, as a pledge that you will keep your word, the seal-ring which you have on your finger.”  The judge consented, gave him his ring, and promised him pardon.  “Under this promise,” continued the robber, “I must confess to you sir, that I and my three comrades do all of us see very well.  We feigned ourselves to be blind, that we might freely enter people’s houses, and women’s apartments, where we abuse their weakness.  I must farther confess to you, that by this trick we have gained together ten thousand dirhems.  This day I demanded of my partners two thousand five hundred that belonged to my share, but they refused because I told them I would leave them; and they were afraid I should accuse them.  Upon my pressing still to have my share, they fell upon me; for which I appeal to those people who brought us before you.  I expect from your justice, sir, that you will make them deliver me the two thousand five hundred dirhems which is my due; and if you have a mind that my comrades should confess the truth, you must order them three times as many blows as I have had, and you will find they will open their eyes as well as I have done.”

My brother and the other two blind men would have cleared themselves of this horrid charge, but the judge would not hear them:  “Villains,” said he, “do you feign yourselves blind then, and, under that pretext of moving their compassion, cheat people, and commit such crimes?” “He is an impostor,” cried my brother, “and we take God to witness that none of us can see.”