redulous people. His word became a law. The most
celebrated and experienced marauders freely laid their spoils at his
feet, and willingly listed under his banner, in whatever enterprise he
chose to propose. Osman Aga presented himself before him, asserted his
privileges of a Suni, and, moreover, of being an emir, and at length
succeeded in making the impostor procure his liberty without ransom,
which he did, in order to advance the glory of the true faith. Once
free, he lost no time in proceeding to Meshed, where, to his great
good fortune, he met merchants from Bagdad, one of whom being nearly
connected to him by marriage, advanced him a small sum of money to
trade with. He received encouraging accounts of the state of the Turkish
markets for the produce of Bokhara, and thither he proceeded to make his
purchases on the spot. Owing to his long residence among the Turcomans,
he had acquired much useful knowledge concerning their manners and
customs--particularly on the subject of buying and selling--and this
enabled him to trade, with much success, between Bokhara and Persia,
until he had gained a sufficient sum to enable his return to his country
with advantage. He was now on the road to Constantinople, with several
mules laden with the merchandise of Bokhara, Samarcand, and the east of
Persia; and having disposed of it there, it was then his intention to
return to his native city, Bagdad. He expressed, however, his intention
to remain at Tehran until the spring caravan should assemble, in order
to enjoy some of the pleasures of an imperial residence, after having
lived so long among savages, as he called the Turcomans, and he inquired
from me how he might most agreeably pass his time.

My fair charges immediately came into my mind; and recollecting of old
that he was a great advocate for the marriage state, I proposed a wife
to him without loss of time.

Certainly, thought I, nothing was ever more strongly pronounced than the
doctrine of predestination has been in this instance. Here, one of my
masters arrives from regions beyond the rising of the sun, to espouse
the widow of another of my masters, who dies just at the very nick of
time to produce the meeting, which I, who come from the countries of the
south, step in to promote.

The hakim's widow was the fattest of the three, and therefore I made
no scruple in proposing her to Osman, who at once acceded to my offer.
Softening down the little asperities of her tempe