me;
you shall eat as much as you please; and when you have done, I
will give you enough to last your brother and yourself several
days. Do not spend your money, when there is no occasion;
travellers are always in want of it: while you are eating I will
give you an account of our city, which no one can do better than
myself, who have borne all the honourable offices in it. It is
well for you that you happen to light upon me; for I must tell
you, all our citizens cannot so well assist and inform you. I can
assure you some of them are very wicked. Come, you shall see the
difference between a real honest man, as I am, and such as boast
of being so, and are not."

"I am infinitely obliged to you," replied Assad, "for your
kindness; I put myself entirely into your hands, and am ready to
go with you where you please."

The old man, as he walked along by his side, laughed inwardly, to
think he had got the prince in his clutches; and all the way,
lest he should perceive his dissimulation, talked of various
subjects, to preserve the favourable opinion Assad had of him.
Among other things, he said, "It must be confessed you were very
fortunate to have spoken to me, rather than to any one else: I
thank God I met with you; you will know why, when you come to my
house."

At length they arrived at the residence of the old man, who
introduced Assad into a hall, where there were forty such old
fellows as himself, who made a circle round a flaming fire, which
they were adoring. The prince was not less struck with horror at
the sight of so many men mistakenly worshipping the creature for
the Creator, than he was with fear at finding himself betrayed
into so abominable a place.

While the prince stood motionless with astonishment, the old
cheat saluted the forty gray-headed men. "Devout adorers of
fire," said he to them, "this is a happy day for us; where is
Gazban? call him."

He spake these words aloud, when a negro who waited at the lower
end of the hall immediately came up to him. This black was
Gazban, who, as soon as he saw the disconsolate Assad, imagined
for what purpose he was called. He rushed upon him immediately,
threw him down, and bound his hands with wonderful activity. When
he had done, "Carry him down," said the old man, "and fail not to
order my daughters, Bostama and Cavama, to give him every day a
severe bastinado, with only a loaf morning and night for his
subsistence; this is enough to keep him alive till th