hey one and all, unanimously, and in a breath said, that all the
legal formalities having been carried out, the will of the father was
law, and the law he passed should be respected, therefore the
thirteenth son was an impostor. On returning he should have gone to
his brothers, and no doubt he would have been received as a brother,
but he acted otherwise. He should receive nothing.

"I am glad to see that you look at it in that light, and I will now
say that that has always been my opinion, but your statement now adds
strength to the conviction, and had there been any doubt on my part,
your unanimous declaration would have dispelled it. I would further
esteem it a great kindness and a favor if, as a reference and as a
proof of my authority, or rather as a corroboration of many proofs,
you would, as you are sitting in lawful Divan, give your signatures to
the effect that the decision of the learned council was unanimous, and
to this said effect, that the thirteenth son was an impostor, and had
no right to any of the possessions he claimed."

Flattered that their opinion had such weight, the judges also
consented to do this, and the Patriarch set about drawing up the case.
This he read to them, and each put his hand and seal to the document.

The Patriarch thanked them and departed.

A week had passed, and the judges had entirely forgotten the case that
had been put to them, but they had not forgotten the Patriarch, and
eagerly awaited his answer to their question which left no
alternative, and which would cause his head to be separated from his
body by a blow of the executioner. But the Patriarch did not make his
appearance, and as the prescribed time had passed, the judges went to
the Governor to see what steps should be taken.

The Governor was deeply grieved when the judges told him of the
terrible question they had put to the Patriarch, yet remembering
leaving that morning the Patriarch who had been with him, and who
seemed in no wise anxious, he said that he was convinced that either a
satisfactory answer had been given or would be forthcoming. He
questioned the Hodjas as to what had taken place, and they answered
that nothing had been said beyond the question that had been put to
him and his request for a week's time in which to answer.

"Did he say nothing at all," asked the Pasha, "before he left?"

"Nothing," said the spokesman of the judges, "except that he put to us
a case which he had been called on to