he other Jew enter the bazaar. Darting up,
he seized him by the arm and dragged him to the Cadi's house; but not
before the man whom he had found in the shop contrived to whisper to his
brother, in a tone loud enough for Neangir to hear, 'Confess nothing, or
we shall both be lost.'

When the Cadi was informed of what had taken place he ordered the crowd
to be dispersed by blows, after the Turkish manner, and then asked
Neangir to state his complaint. After hearing the young man's story,
which seemed to him most extraordinary, he turned to question the Jewish
merchant, who instead of answering raised his eyes to heaven and fell
down in a dead faint.

The judge took no notice of the swooning man, but told Neangir that his
tale was so singular he really could not believe it, and that he should
have the merchant carried back to his own house. This so enraged Neangir
that he forgot the respect due to the Cadi, and exclaimed at the top of
his voice, 'Recover this fellow from his fainting fit, and force him
to confess the truth,' giving the Jew as he spoke a blow with his sword
which caused him to utter a piercing scream.

'You see for yourself,' said the Jew to the Cadi, 'that this young man
is out of his mind. I forgive him his blow, but do not, I pray you,
leave me in his power.'

At that moment the Bassa chanced to pass the Cadi's house, and hearing a
great noise, entered to inquire the cause. When the matter was explained
he looked attentively at Neangir, and asked him gently how all these
marvels could possibly have happened.

'My lord,' replied Neangir, 'I swear I have spoken the truth, and
perhaps you will believe me when I tell you that I myself have been the
victim of spells wrought by people of this kind, who should be rooted
out from the earth. For three years I was changed into a three-legged
pot, and only returned to man's shape when one day a turban was laid
upon my lid.'

At these words the Bassa rent his robe for joy, and embracing Neangir,
he cried, 'Oh, my son, my son, have I found you at last? Do you not come
from the house of Mohammed and Zinebi?'

'Yes, my lord,' replied Neangir, 'it was they who took care of me during
my misfortune, and taught me by their example to be less worthy of
belonging to you.'

'Blessed be the Prophet,' said the Bassa, 'who has restored one of my
sons to me, at the time I least expected it! You know,' he continued,
addressing the Cadi, 'that during the first years of m