ujeh carried the merchant before the magistrate, where he
accused him of having, by breach of trust, defrauded him of a
thousand pieces of gold, which he had left with him. The cauzee
demanded if he had any witnesses; to which he replied, that he
had not taken that precaution, because he had believed the person
he trusted his money with to be his friend, and always took him
for an honest man.

The merchant made the same defence he had done before the
merchants his neighbours, offering to make oath that he never had
the money he was accused of, and that he did not so much as know
there was such a sum; upon which the cauzee took his oath, and
dismissed him acquitted for want of evidence.

Ali Khaujeh, extremely mortified to find that he must sit down
with so considerable a loss, protested against the sentence,
declaring to the cauzee that he would appeal to the caliph, who
would do him justice; which protestation the magistrate regarded
as the effect of the common resentment of those who lose their
cause; and thought he had done his duty in acquitting a person
who had been accused without witnesses.

While the merchant returned home triumphing over Ali Khaujeh and
overjoyed at his good fortune, the latter went and drew up a
petition; and the next day observing the time when the caliph
came from noon tide prayers, placed himself in the street he was
to pass through; and holding out his hand with the petition, an
officer appointed for that purpose, who always goes before the
caliph, came and took it to present it.

As Ali Khaujeh knew that it was the caliph's custom to read the
petitions at his return to the palace, he went into the court,
and waited till the officer who had taken the petition came out
of the caliph's apartment, who told him that the caliph had
appointed an hour to hear him next day; and then asking him where
the merchant lived, he sent to notify to him to attend at the
same time.

That same evening, the caliph, accompanied by the grand vizier
Jaaffier, and Mesrour the chief of the eunuchs, went disguised
through the town, as it was his custom occasionally to do; when,
on passing through a street, the caliph heard a noise, and
mending his pace, came to a gateway, which led into a little
court, in which he perceived ten or twelve children playing by
moonlight.

The caliph, who was curious to know at what play the children
were engaged, sat down on a stone bench just by; and heard one of
the liveli