was going on somewhere or
other. I was at a loss to whom to address myself, unknown as I was in
the city, and I was thinking of making my case known to the cadi, when,
approaching the gate of the caravanserai, I was accosted by the old
capiji. 'Peace be unto you, Aga!' said he; 'may you live many years, and
may your abundance increase! My eyes are enlightened by seeing you.'

'Are your spirits so well wound up, Ali Mohamed,' said I in return,
'that you choose to treat me thus? As for the abundance you talk of,
'tis abundance of grief, for I have none other that I know of. Och!'
said I, sighing, 'my liver has become water, and my soul has withered
up.'

'What news is this?' said the old man. 'Your father (peace be unto him!)
is just dead--you are his heir--you are young, and, _Mashallah!_ you are
handsome--your wit is not deficient:--what do you want more?'

'I am his heir, 'tis true; but what of that? what advantage can accrue
to me, when I only get an old mud-built house, with some worn-out
carpets, some pots and pans and decayed furniture, and yonder shop
with a brass basin and a dozen of razors? Let me spit upon such an
inheritance.'

'But where is your money, your ready cash, Hajji? Your father (God be
with him!) had the reputation of being as great a niggard of his money
as he was liberal of his soap. Everybody knows that he amassed much, and
never passed a day without adding to his store.'

'That may be true,' said I; 'but what advantage will that be to me,
since I cannot find where it was deposited? My mother says that he
had none--the akhon repeats the same--I am no conjuror to discover the
truth. I had it in my mind to go to the cadi.'

'To the cadi?' said Ali Mohamed. 'Heaven forbid! Go not to him--you
might as well knock at the gate of this caravanserai, when I am absent,
as try to get justice from him, without a heavy fee. No, he sells it by
the miscal, at a heavy price, and very light weight does he give after
all. He does not turn over one leaf of the Koran, until his fingers
have been well plated with gold, and if those who have appropriated your
father's sacks are to be your opponents, do not you think that they will
drain them into the cadi's lap, rather than he should pronounce in your
favour?'

'What, then, is to be done?' said I. 'Perhaps the diviners might give me
some help.'

'There will be no harm in that,' answered the doorkeeper. 'I have known
them make great discoveries during my serv