n speaking--if you truly desire my happiness (as I am sure you
do) you will relieve me of all these precious gems and merchandise,
because, to be frank, they will _not_ make me happy. On the contrary,
they are making me extremely uncomfortable."

"In the days of old," said Fakrash, "all men pursued wealth; nor could
any amass enough to satisfy his desires. Have riches, then, become so
contemptible in mortal eyes that thou findest them but an encumbrance?
Explain the matter."

Horace felt a natural delicacy in giving his real reasons. "I can't
answer for other men," he said. "All I know is that I've never been
accustomed to being rich, and I'd rather get used to it gradually, and
be able to feel that I owed it, as far as possible, to my own exertions.
For, as I needn't tell _you_, Mr. Fakrash, riches alone don't make any
fellow happy. You must have observed that they're apt to--well, to land
him in all kinds of messes and worries.... I'm talking like a confounded
copybook," he thought, "but I don't care how priggish I am if I can only
get my way!"

Fakrash was deeply impressed. "O young man of marvellous moderation!" he
cried. "Thy sentiments are not inferior to those of the Great Suleyman
himself (on whom be peace!). Yet even he doth not utterly despise them,
for he hath gold and ivory and precious stones in abundance. Nor
hitherto have I ever met a human being capable of rejecting them when
offered. But, since thou seemest sincere in holding that my poor and
paltry gifts will not advance thy welfare, and since I would do thee
good and not evil--be it even as thou wouldst. For excellently was it
said: 'The worth of a present depends not on itself, nor on the giver,
but on the receiver alone.'"

Horace could hardly believe that he had really prevailed. "It's
extremely good of you, sir," he said, "to take it so well. And if you
_could_ let that caravan call for them as soon as possible, it would be
a great convenience to me. I mean--er--the fact is, I'm expecting a few
friends to dine with me to-morrow, and, as my rooms are rather small at
the best of times, I don't quite know how I can manage to entertain
them at all unless something is done."

"It will be the easiest of actions," replied Fakrash; "therefore, have
no fear that, when the time cometh, thou wilt not be able to entertain
thy friends in a fitting manner. And for the caravan, it shall set out
without delay."

"By Jove, though, I'd forgotten one thing,"