s, and musicians will be at your service, and will play and dance
for you to your heart's content. And you," turning to the painter,
"shall see foreign lands, and educate your tastes by travel. My
treasurer will give you for your first journey, that you can start on
to-morrow, a thousand gold pieces, together with two horses and a
slave. Travel wherever you desire; and when you see anything beautiful,
paint it for me."

The young men were beside themselves with astonishment, speechless with
joy and gratitude. They would have kissed the ground at the feet of the
kind man, but he prevented them. "If you are indebted to any one, it is
to this wise old gentleman who told me about you. He has also given me
pleasure in this matter by making me acquainted with four such worthy
young gentlemen."

The dervish, Mustapha, however, checked the thanks of the young men.
"See," said he, "how one should never judge too hastily. Did I
exaggerate the goodness of this noble man?"

"Let us hear from another of the slaves, who is to be liberated
to-day," interrupted Ali Banu; and the young gentlemen took their
seats.

The young slave who had attracted general attention by reason of his
beautiful form and features and his bright look, now arose, and in a
melodious voice began his story.

THE STORY OF ALMANSOR.

Sire, the men who have preceded me have told wonderful stories which
they had heard in strange lands; whilst I must confess with shame that
I do not know a single tale that is worthy of your attention.
Nevertheless if it will not weary you, I will relate the strange
history of one of my friends.

On the Algerian privateer, from which your generous hand set me free,
was a young man of my own age who did not seem to have been born to the
slave-costume that he wore. The other unfortunates on the ship were
either rough, coarse people, with whom I did not care to associate or
people whose language I did not understand; therefore, every moment
that I had to myself was spent in the company of this young man. He
called himself Almansor, and, judging from his speech, was an Egyptian.
We were well pleased to be in each other's society, and one day we
chanced to tell our stories to one another; and I discovered that my
friend's story was far more remarkable than my own. Almansor's father
was a prominent man in an Egyptian city, whose name he failed to give
me. The days of his childhood passed pleasantly,