approached; he was hardly recovered from the effects of his debauch, but he brought under his arm the utensils of the bath, and as he walked along was heard to exclaim, "I will never exercise any trade but that of servant to a bagnio." Ignorant of what had happened, he approached the bath, and coming near the door, he saw it fastened, and the domestics sitting sorrowful without: "What are you about?" said Basem; "how comes the bath to be shut? If any thing is the matter with the lock let me set my foot against it." Vext as they were, they could not help laughing at Basem: "What you wish to open the bagnio, sir, do you?" "To be sure I do," said Basem. Yes," said Caled, " and I suppose you'd like very much to be crucified at the door.' "What the devil do you mean?” said Basem: "You pretend, I suppose," answered Caled, "not to have heard of the proclamation. The Khalif has ordered all bagnios to be shut up for three days, on pain of crucifixion." When Basem heard this," For heaven's sake," said he, in a tone of anxiety, "what can this possibly mean!" ""Tis all owing to you," said the master of the bagnio; " go about your business: I have been master of a bagnio for thirty years, and till you shewed your ill-looking face among us, never heard of such a proclamation; yesterday blacksmiths were prohibited-to day bagnios-by Alla begone!"

"

Basem departed in great tribulation. "This," said he, with a heart swelling with anger, "all this has happened on account of my cursed visitors; whatever they pretend to fancy is certain to come to pass. By heavens, if I do but meet them, I'll make them see the stars by day-light." He then went home very melancholy indeed, When he entered, he sat down lost in thought. What can I pos→ sibly do now?" he exclaimed, "not an asper have I in my pocket; I am proscribed as a blacksmith, the bagnio is shut, and pray what trade next?" Then thinking of his guests, he clenched his fists in anger, and resolved to go seek them through the streets of Bagdat. In this search he was employed part of the day, and of course in vain: To night," said he, "I must be supperless; no meat, no fruit, no wine, no lights :" he then returned home, dressed himself, put his shash round his head in a cubical form, and taking the cloth used for prayer, he said, "this will I sell, and provide myself as usual." In his wanderings he came near a school and a chapel, "Here," said he, "I will perform my ablutions, pray that this evil be removed, and my occupation restored." He entered the college, performed his abJution, and said his prayers; then he came into the portico, and holding the cloth in his hand, his vexation against his guests had somewhat subsided, and throwing the cloth over his shoulders, he remained in the same place, undetermined to what bazar he should carry it to sell. Whilst he was in this situation a woman approached, and seeing Basem, a fine tall fellow, with a shash round his head, she imagined him to be a Wakeel, or officer of justice belonging to the Cadi; "Pray sir," said she, "are you a messenger or wakeel?" "I am," replied Basem, rolling his eyes, "if you desire it, a potent messenger, and, if you please, by declaration and signature of the

" I

Cadi of Cadies; or, if you chuse, I am a judge, who can sit here and determine between parties; I have the power of divorcing and confirming in short, I can do for you whatever you desire, only acquaint me with your business." "O Hadgi!" said the woman, "these are many words. But I have a just claim upon my debtor." "Let me know," said Basem, " who this debtor is, that I may carry him before a Cadi who sits in his den to distribute justice, and who has not his equal in the world. Let me be your Wakeel; I will for two thirds of a dollar gain your cause if the defendant be in the wrong; but if on the contrary, what is on your side unjust I will make to be just. Only come along with me to the Mahkamy in my district, and I shall be answerable to you for your debtor." desire," said the woman, "to complain against my husband, who is in debt to me for clothes for five years, besides five dinars and a para for expences, as will appear by my contract of marriage. Indeed he is not a liberal man in what is his duty to me, and sometimes sleeps from home." "What is your husband's trade?" demanded Basem. "A babooch maker," replied the woman. "A stretcher * of skins!" said Basem, "come along with me; by Alla I will confound him.” "Were it not advisable, Ŏ Hadgi!" said the woman," that we have my claim written down at the Mahkamy, and obtain the Cadi's order for his appearance!" "Believe me," said Basem, "that is unnecessary; the Cadi, for the quicker dispatch of business, having empowered me to sign his name for him." He then led her by the hand to the college, where he entered, but soon returned to her, saying, "if you make me a liberal consideration, you shall see what I will do for you; an hour shall not pass, before you see your husband safely lodged in prison." Upon this the woman, from the string. of coins which she wore on her head, cut off two drachms, and presented them to him, which Basem snatched with the avidity that a hawk seizes his prey, saying, "I am Basem, my provision is from God!" They then proceeded together to the keisaria where the husband was. Before entering, Basem took care to raise and adjust his turban, and bare his arms, that he might have more the appearance of the character he had assumed. The woman by a sign, pointed out her husband, whom Basem found to be a sallow, meagre, diminutive man, and employed in performing his Friday prayers. But Basem, without saying a word, took him up in his arms, together with the carpet upon which he kneeled, to carry him off. "Hadgi, Hadgi, for heaven's sake, what is the matter?" "You only have to show respect and obedience to the noble law," replied Basem. "Have con

sideration for me," said the captive, "and set me down on the ground, that I may put on my outer vest and babooch; I will go with you, by my head and my eyes! but do not carry me in this manner." Basem then set him and his carpet down, while all the people in the

* Slipper.

keisaria came crouding about them. The captive now asked Basem, where his creditor was?" Your wife is your creditor," said Basem, "and I am her appointed wakeel. My suit against you is" (he should have said five) " for fifty dinars, and her allowance for clothes (instead of five) for fifty years.' The poor maker of babooches exclaimed, “By Alla we have only been married five years, and how is it possible she should claim her clothes for fifty years, seeing I myself am hardly forty years old?" "I know nothing of all that," replied Basem, "you and your creditor may settle it before the Cadi."

They then proceeded together towards the Mahkamy, the woman marching before them; but they hardly had got half way, when the man, addressing Basem, said, "I beseech you, O Hadgi, to let me speak only two words!" "Speak twenty!" replied Basem, in a surly tone. "Believe me," said the prisoner," all that my wife has said against me proceeds merely from jealousy; I unluckily happened last night, at a neighbour's house, to get so drunk as not to be able to walk home, and so I slept where I was: this is the real cause of her rage; but if she and I sleep this night together in the same bed, we shall soon make peace, and she will get up in the morning quite satisfied. Now, learned Hadgi, I entreat your fetwa *." "What fetwa of mine!" cried Basem. "Only," said the man, 66 that you will accept of a present, and permit me to depart. After evening prayer I will return to my wife, and you may depend on it all will end well; but should you carry us (in the humour she now is) before the cadi, I shall certainly be committed to prison; for the love of God therefore resign your Wakeelship and dismiss me." What the devil, after all, thought Basem, within himself, have I to do with the woman? it will be better to take something from this fellow, and send him about his business. "Look you, Sir," turning gravely to the culprit, we must be paid for our fetwa." The man, with great humility, presented Basem with three drachms, which he secured in his cincture, and they continued walking in company till they came to a croud in the street, when they separated, each taking to a different street.

By heaven," said Basem," all this goes well; I have now got five drachms, I am Basem, and my provision is from God!"

After Basem had dismissed the babooch maker, he altered his turban, covered his arms, and taking the cloth from his shoulders, sat down on a mustabe near the college.

In the mean time, the woman continued to walk on towards the mahkamy, conceiving that her husband and the officer were still be-hind her, and rejoicing at having found a wakeel who would so soon see justice done her. But happening to turn about, and finding neither him nor her husband, she began to exclaim as at a funeral, and ran about from right to left like one distracted. At length she spied Basem sitting on the mustabe, when running up to him, she called

in a loud voice, "Where, where is my debtor? my husband?" "t know nothing," replied Basem gravely, "either of a husband or debtor; be gone about your business, and leave me to my myself.” At this the woman passionately exclaimed, "What are you not a messenger!" "You lie" replied Basem, raising his voice, "you lie, you troublesome old woman. I have all my life been a blacksmith." The woman now laying hold of Basem's vest, exclaimed in a shrill voice, "O true believers! My debtor, my debtor!" A croud of people immediately surrounded them and inquired what was the matter. "You must know," said the woman, "that this messenger of the law, received of me two drachms on condition to bring my debtor to justice. We came all three together nearly to this place, when corrupted (as I suppose) by a bribe, he set his prisoner at liberty. And now," added she, weeping bitterly, "my hope of aid, O Moslems! is placed in God, and you." Some of the spectators now regarding the man with more attention said, “ Why woman, this is Basem the blacksmith, no messenger of the law; we have known kim long: so you must be mistaken in the person.' "Good people,” said Basem, "this troublesome old woman has laid violent hands on me, and would make a messenger of me by main force." The poor woman was now in a worse state than ever, for while some of the bystanders drew near and reproached her, others rejoiced at her misfortune, or cursed her. Öthers told her she had confounded the poor man, and, after scolding her, forced her away from him. Some laughed heartily; one said she was in liquor, another that she was mad, and a third that she had been all along in jest. The poor woman abashed, and not knowing well what to do, at last took the way to her own house.

When Basem had thus got rid of the woman, he looked at his five drachms and exclaimed, "by Allah I will die a messenger of the law. What! for pronouncing two words I get two drachms; for seizing a debtor five drachms; for swearing a false oath twenty drachms; and for cheating a creditor fifty drachms. I will die a messenger." Without delay he proceeded as usual to procure his provision in the bazar, cabab, wine, fruit, &c. lights up his lodging, drinks, sings, &c. and thanks God for enabling him to continue his old custom. While Basem was thus employed, the Khalif expressed a wish to know the success of his orders for shutting up the bagnios. "I wonder," says he, "what is become of our friend Basem; he must be in a miserable plight, in a dark chamber, supperless, and his pitcher empty; I am determined to visit him." "For heaven's sake, my lord," replied the vizir, "let us remain well where we are. Twice already has God delivered us from the hands of that glutton, who threatened us all three when in his best humour; what violence may we not expect from him now in his present mortification!" "I have resolved, however," said the Khalif, "to see him this night." "O, Ameer al Moumaneen!" said the vizir," the pitcher does not always return unbroken." "Peace," exclaimed the Khalif, "I will be obeyed." The Khalif, Giafar, and Mesrour in disguise, went out at

the secret gate, found Basem's chamber lighted up, and observed his shadow on the wall with a glass in his hand, the outward appearance of things precisely as before. Giafar, by the Khalif's order, knocked at the door. "Who is there?" exclaimed Basem. "Your guests, the Mosul merchants," replied they. "Neither peace nor welcome to you," said Basem; "by Alla, if you do not go about your business it will be the saddest night you ever knew.' "Indeed, brother," said Giafar," we have only two words to say, and therefore beg admittance." Basem from his window perceiving them at his door, "Ho, ho," exclaimed he, "what is it you want of me? No soul shall enter my house this night. Begone, I say, I never saw good in your countenances, and you have brought ruin on all the blacksmiths and bagnio keepers in Bagdat." Giafar, pretending ignorance of what had happened, begged only for admission. "We have," said he, "been busily employed all day in our khane till this moment, and know nothing of what passes in Bagdat." "And are you really asleep to what passed to-day?" "We are, indeed, and beseech you, for God's sake, to inform us.' "Then I beseech you, for God's sake," replied Basem, "to come up stairs, that I may acquaint you; but upon these conditions, firstly, that you do not commit an act of infidelity, and practise enchantment against me; for every thing you have said hitherto has proved true, as if engraver on stone; and, secondly, that you do not interrupt or trouble me with your impertinent discourse."

This agreement made, they were admitted up stairs, found every thing disposed as usual, and took their seats in silence. Now, my guests," says Basem, "as you expect favour of God, tell me, do you know nothing of what has happened to me this day, and what has been done by that blockhead the Khalif?" His hearers hardly could refrain from laughing; but begged of him to proceed. "Why," said Basem, "from his ragged beard, and want of understanding, he issued a royal ordinance for shutting all the bagnios. of Bagdat, for three days. Now having, as I told you last night, taken up a new trade, this cursed ordinance cast me adrift again, and reduced me to such distress, as no mortal ever experienced before, or will experience after me; for I could devise no feasible means of obtaining my evening provision." Why did you not apply to the Khalif's bath, or that of Sit Zebeedy?" said the Khalif. Oh," replied Basem, "both of them were shut up before all the others. It was indeed a dismal day. The people were astonished; and the numerous tribe of bath-men were starving. However, my guests," continued he, "Providence did not desert me, but put five drachms in my way, with which, as you may see, I made my usual provision, in spite of all who hate me, or envy me, and in spite of the Khalif, and all those in his palace." "Well, well, friend," said the Khalif, within himself, "please God, I shall one time or other be even with you." Basem then filled his glass, and holding it sometime before the flame of the candle, drank it off, and nodding to his companions, thus addressed them; "Now, my guests, you do just as becomes you; you