d, as no one answered him, he despaired anew, and upbraided his
tormentors. New laughter followed this. At last they accomplished the
circuit of the town. At the palace the cage was again taken down from
the elephant's back and placed on four posts, of the height of a
man's stature, which stood in the court before the entrance of the
garden of the palace. They brought him some food, consisting of
parboiled rice, which, in his displeasure, he allowed to remain
untouched. At first, several curious people had collected from among
the servants around him; but they soon dispersed, and left him alone
to despair and bitter reflection.

He thought on his situation, and how he was in a distant land where
nobody understood his language, nor could aid in delivering him from
his mournful imprisonment. At this moment death would have been
welcome. He seized his dagger, which he had carefully concealed in a
fold of his robe, intending to put an end to his life by its means. As
he drew it from the sheath, a ray of the sun fell on the blade, and
reflected back the fiery glance so as to dazzle his eyes like a glow
of fire. A spark lighted his talisman, and immediately he remembered
the words of his old preceptor Modibjah. He put the dagger back, and
took from his bosom the pouch containing the talisman; but, as he
looked at the stone, the spark disappeared. It was a milk-white stone,
like an ordinary fragment of white porcelain: then he breathed on it
with a deep sigh, and with his lips said, "Haschanascha!"

Scarcely had he pronounced this name, than a slave appeared, passed
before the cage, and said, "Oh, you poor knave, how I pity you!"

As Jussuf heard these words, he cried out joyfully, "That is my native
language! Oh, pity an unfortunate, and tell me why I am so
maltreated!"

"I dare not now," answered the slave: "wait till midnight, then I will
come and speak to you. I pity you exceedingly: at the first glance I
recognized you as a countryman, and wished extremely to lighten your
fate." With these words he disappeared through another door in the
palace.

The thought that he had found a man with whom he could converse on his
misfortune, and who felt a sympathy for him, consoled Jussuf: all idea
of killing himself was quite forgotten; on the contrary, he saw
himself again free to pursue his journey. In this disposition he felt
with renewed vigour the necessity of supporting life, and partook of
the meal spread before him. The