I took no notice of their noise, which presently ceased, when
the bigger ones supped with us, and my wife had given the younger
each their share.

After supper the children got together again, and began to make
the same noise. I then called to the eldest to know what was the
matter, who told me it was about a piece of glass, which gave a
light when his back was to the lamp. I bade him bring it to me,
made the experiment myself, and it appeared so extraordinary,
that I asked my wife what it was. She told me it was a piece of
glass, which she had found in gutting the fish.

I thought no more than herself but that it was a bit of glass,
but I was resolved to make a farther experiment of it; and
therefore bade my wife put the lamp in the chimney, which she
did, and still found that the supposed piece of glass gave so
great a light, that we might see to go to bed without the lamp.
So I put it out, and placed the bit of glass upon the chimney to
light us. "Look," said I, "this is another advantage that Saad's
piece of lead procures us: it will spare us the expense of oil."

When the children saw the lamp was put out, and the bit of glass
supplied the place, they cried out so loud, and made so great a
noise from astonishment, that it was enough to alarm the
neighbourhood; and before my wife and I could quiet them we were
forced to make a greater noise, nor could we silence them till we
had put them to bed; where after talking a long while in their
way about the wonderful light of a bit of glass, they fell
asleep. After they were asleep, my wife and I went to bed by
them; and next morning, without thinking any more of the glass, I
went to my work as usual; which ought not to seem strange for
such a man as I, who had never seen any diamonds, or if I had,
never attended to their value.

But before I proceed, I must tell your majesty that there was but
a very slight partition-wall between my house and my next
neighbour's, who was a very rich Jew, and a jeweller; and the
chamber that he and his wife lay in joined to ours. They were
both in bed, and the noise my children made awakened them.

The next morning the jeweller's wife came to mine to complain of
being disturbed out of their first sleep. "Good neighbour
Rachel," (which was the Jew's wife's name,) said my wife, "I am
very sorry for what happened, and hope you will excuse it: you
know it was caused by the children, and they will laugh and cry
for a trifle. Come in, a