ourse encouraged the jeweler's son, and inspired him with
confidence. I took care not to inform him I was the very Agib whom he
dreaded, lest I should alarm his fears. I found the young man of ready
wit, and partook with him of his provisions, of which he had enough
to have lasted beyond the forty days though he had had more guests
than myself. In short, madam, we spent thirty-nine days in this
subterranean abode in the pleasantest manner possible.

The fortieth day appeared; and in the morning, when the young man
awoke, he said to me, with a transport of joy that he could not
restrain, "Prince, this is the fortieth day, and I am not dead, thanks
to God and your good company. My father will not fail to make you,
very shortly, every acknowledgment of his gratitude for your
attentions, and will furnish you with every necessary for your return
to your kingdom. But," continued he, "while we are waiting his
arrival, dear prince, pray do me the favor to fetch me a melon and
some sugar,[23] that I may eat some to refresh me."

Out of several melons that remained I took the best, and laid it on a
plate; and as I could not find a knife to cut it with, I asked the
young man if he knew where there was one.

"There is one," said he, "upon this cornice over my head." I
accordingly saw it there, and made so much haste to reach it that,
while I had it in my hand, my foot being entangled in the carpet, I
fell most unhappily upon the young man, and the knife pierced his
heart.

At this spectacle I cried out with agony. I beat my head, my face, my
breast; I tore my clothes; I threw myself on the ground with
unspeakable sorrow and grief.

[Footnote 23: Sugar has been traced to the Arabic "succar," which is
the Persian "shachar." The sugar-cane is a jointed reed, crowned with
leaves or blades; it contains a soft, pithy substance, full of sweet
juice. The people of Egypt eat a great quantity of the green
sugar-canes, and make a coarse loaf-sugar, and also sugar-candy and
some very fine sugar, sent to Constantinople to the Grand Signor,
which is very dear, being made only for that purpose.--Dr. Richard
Pocock, _Travels_, Vol. I, p. 204.]

I would have embraced death without any reluctance, had it presented
itself to me. "But what we wish, whether it be good or evil, will not
always happen according to our desire." Nevertheless, considering that
all my tears and sorrows would not restore the young man to life, and,
the forty days bein