sent her out into the city to inquire how matters were going on.

"She brought me word that the fury of the plague had much abated, but
that she had met several funerals, and that she had heard many of the
merchants cursing the folly of Murad the Unlucky, who, as they said, had
brought all this calamity upon the inhabitants of Cairo. Even fools,
they say, learn by experience. I took care to burn the bed on which I
had lain and the clothes I had worn; I concealed my real name, which I
knew would inspire detestation, and gained admittance, with a crowd of
other poor wretches, into a lazaretto, where I performed quarantine and
offered up prayers daily for the sick.

"When I thought it was impossible I could spread the infection, I took my
passage home. I was eager to get away from Grand Cairo, where I knew I
was an object of execration. I had a strange fancy haunting my mind; I
imagined that all my misfortunes, since I left Constantinople, had arisen
from my neglect of the talisman upon the beautiful china vase. I dreamed
three times, when I was recovering from the plague, that a genius
appeared to me, and said, in a reproachful tone, 'Murad, where is the
vase that was entrusted to thy care?'

"This dream operated strongly upon my imagination. As soon as we arrived
at Constantinople, which we did, to my great surprise, without meeting
with any untoward accidents, I went in search of my brother Saladin to
inquire for my vase. He no longer lived in the house in which I left
him, and I began to be apprehensive that he was dead, but a porter,
hearing my inquiries, exclaimed, 'Who is there in Constantinople that is
ignorant of the dwelling of Saladin the Lucky? Come with me, and I will
show it to you.'

"The mansion to which he conducted me looked so magnificent that I was
almost afraid to enter lest there should be some mistake. But whilst I
was hesitating the doors opened, and I heard my brother Saladin's voice.
He saw me almost at the same instant that I fixed my eyes upon him, and
immediately sprang forward to embrace me. He was the same good brother
as ever, and I rejoiced in his prosperity with all my heart. 'Brother
Saladin,' said I, 'can you now doubt that some men are born to be
fortunate and others to be unfortunate? How often you used to dispute
this point with me!'

"'Let us not dispute it now in the public street,' said he, smiling; 'but
come in and refresh yourself, and we will consider the questi