to
clothe and adorn the officers of his army. I believe, therefore, that
so disinterested a man deserves the confidence of your Majesty."

Abourazier having ceased speaking, Nourgehan said to him, "Imadil
Deule shall not be my Vizier. I believe him an honest man, but he
wants prudence, and I do not think him capable of supporting my
authority. He had the seals of the empire, and yet knew not how to
order everything necessary for his expedition; in a word, his treasure
failed him, and his soldiers presumed to give him laws. Without the
accident of the serpent, of which any other man would have made the
same use, what would have become of him? The story of the tailor is of
no consequence."

Nourgehan was continually occupied with the love of justice and the
desire of reigning well. He left his palace at all hours to inform
himself of the truth by his own knowledge. There was an old potter of
earthen vessels who dwelt near his palace. Nourgehan, moved by seeing
him every day pray to God with the most ardent and zealous fervour,
stopped one day before the little hut in which he dwelt, and said to
him, "Ask of me whatever thou desirest, and I promise to grant it
thee."

"Command all your officers," said the potter, "to take each of them
one of my pots, and pay for it that which I ask. I will not abuse this
permission."

Nourgehan granted him his request, and gave orders to his guard to
watch over the sale of the pots, and, above all, to do whatever the
potter ordered him. He made a very modest use of the favour that he
had obtained, and, satisfied with the sale of his work, he exacted no
more than the value of it, thinking himself happy in being able to
live by his industry, and wishing that he might give a proof of his
gratitude to his Sovereign. The Vizier of Nourgehan was avaricious;
but for fear of displeasing his master, he concealed that vice with
the utmost care. He went one morning to the Emperor's audience, when
the potter demanded a sequin for a pot which he presented to him. The
Vizier refused it, and said it was a jest to ask such a sum for a
thing that the least coin would sufficiently pay for.

The potter, seeing that he added menaces to his refusal, answered him,
"that since he took it in that strain, he demanded a thousand sequins
for his pot," and added, "that he should not enter into the Emperor's
presence until he had hung the pot round his neck, and carried him
upon his back to have an audience of