now that people of my
character have many privileges, and especially that of approaching the
great, and of speaking to them the truth. The Commander of the
Faithful is to us of all men the easiest of access: depend upon my
zeal; it may be possible for me to serve you; you will entrust your
misfortunes to a prudent ear, and to a soul truly charitable."

The young man again sighed, mused a short time, shed some tears, and
thus began his history:

"My name is Halechalbe, and my father is syndic of the trade of
Bagdad. One evening he invited to supper the principal merchants in
the city, each of whom brought with him his eldest son. After the
repast, which was plentiful and gay, the guests began to converse
concerning the disposal of their children.

"One had sent his son to a foreign counting-house; another had
entrusted to his a vessel full of merchandise; a third had given up a
certain branch of his trade; in short, it appeared from what I heard,
that all my contemporaries were either advantageously placed or
settled in life. After fully discoursing of these different
arrangements, the company retired.

"Remaining behind with my father, I observed to him, that though the
son of the first in our profession, I alone was unemployed. He allowed
the force of the observation, and proposed that I should open a
warehouse of whatever goods I chose, in one of the quarters of Bagdad.

"This proposal was agreeable to my inclination for trade and
independence. I accepted it; and next day was put into possession of a
large assortment of the most beautiful Persian and Indian stuffs. I
had slaves who were skilled in trade, and who relieved me of the
troublesome part of the business.

"Being surrounded during the day with all the nobility of Bagdad, with
whom I had an opportunity of getting acquainted, I returned in the
evening to my father's house. In the management of my business I led a
very active and busy life--a life, in short, agreeable to my own
taste. My father often visited me in my shop, and was pleased to see
the concourse of virtuosi and customers of both sexes. He never
received anything uncommon from abroad but he was happy to send it to
me; the manager of his own trade had orders to that purpose.

"I was one day surrounded with a great many people in my
counting-house, when two women of a fine external appearance came in.
Civility made the other customers give place; and one of the two women
put aside her veil su