Arabian Nights Entertainments (1706)/Volume 5/The Third Brother

The Hundred and Seventy Third Night.

SIR, the Barber without breaking off, told the Story of his third Brother, in the following Manner.

A Story of the Barber’s Third Brother.

COmmander of the Faithful, ſays he to the Calif, my third Brother, whoſe Name was Backback, was blind, and his ill Deſtiny reduc’d him to beg from Door to Door. He had been ſo long accuſtomed to walk through the Street alone, that he had no need of one to lead him: He had a Cuſtom to knock at Peoples Doors, and not to anſwer till they opened to him. One Day he knock’d thus at a Door, and the Maſter of the Houſe, who was alone, cry’d, Who is there? my Brother gave no Anſwer; and knock’d a ſecond Time: The Maſter of the Houſe asked again, Who is there? But to no Purpoſe. My Brother did not anſwer, upon which the Man of the Houſe came down, open’d the Door, and asked my Brother what he wanted? That you will give me ſomething for Heaven’s Sake, ſays Backback. You ſeem to be blind, reply’d the Maſter of the Houſe: Yes, to my Sorrow, ſay my Brother: Give_me your Hand, ſays the Maſter of the Houſe: My Brother did ſo, thinking he was going to give him Alms; bur he only took him by the Hand to lead him up to his Chamber; Backback thought he had been carrying him to Dinner with him, as ſeveral other People had done. When they came up to the Chamber, the Man looſed his Hand out of my Brothers, and ſitting down, asked him, again, what he wanted? I have already told you, ſays Backback, that I want ſomething for God’s Sake. Good blind Man, reply’d the Maſter of the Houle all that I can do for you is, to wiſh that God may reſtore you your Sight. You might have told me that at the Door, ſays my Brother, and not have given me the Trou-ble to have come up: And why, Fool, ſays the Man of the, Houſe, don’t you anſwer at firſt, when People ask you, Who is there? Why do you give any Body the Trouble to come and open the Door when they ſpeak to you? What will you do with me then, ſays my Brother? I tell thee again, ſays the Man of the Houſe, I have nothing to give you. Help me down Stairs then, replies Backback, as you help’d me up. The Stairs are before you, ſays the Man of the Houſe; you may go down alone if you will. My Brother went to go down, but miſſing a Step about the middle of the Stairs, he fell down and hurt his Head and his Back: He got up again, with a great deal of Difficulty, and complain’d heavily of the Maſter of the Houſe, who laugh’d at his Fall.

As my Brother went out of the Houſe, two blind Men, his Companions, were going by, knew him by his Voice, and ask’d him what was the Matter? He told them what had happen’d to him, and afterwards ſaid, I have eat nothing to Day; I conjure you to go along with me to my Houſe, that I may take ſome of the Money that we three have in common to buy me ſomething tor Supper; the two blind Men agreed to it, and they went Home with him.

You muſt know that the Maſter of the Houſe; where my Brother was ſo ill uſed, was a Highway-man, and naturally cunning and malicious. He heard at his Window what Backback ſaid to his Companions, and therefore came down and followed them to my Brother’s Houſe. The blind Men being ſet down, Backback ſays to them, Brethren, we muſt ſhut the Door, and take care there be no Stranger with us. At this the Highway-man was much perplex’d, but perceiving by Chance a Rope hanging down from a Beam, he catched hold of it, and hung by it, while the blind Men ſhut the Door, and felt about the Room with their Sticks, When they had done this, and ſat down again in their Places, the Highway-man left his Rope and ſat down, ſoftly by my Brother, who thinking himſelf alone with his blind, Comrades, ſays to them, Brothers, ſince you have truſted me with the Money, which we all three have gathered a long time, I will ſhow you that I am not unworthy of the Truſt you repoſe in me. The laſt time we reckon’d, you know-we had 10000 Drachms, and that we put them into ten Bags, T will ſhow’you that I have not touch’d one of them; and having ſaid ſo, he put his Hand among ſome old Lumber, and taking out the Bags one after another, gave them to his Comrades, ſaying there they are, you may judge by their Weight that they are whole, or you may tell them if you pleaſe. His Comrades anſwer’d there was no need, they did not miſtruſt him; ſo he opened one of the Bags, and took out ten Drachms, and each of the other blind Men did the like.

My Brother put the Bags into their Place again: After which, one of the blind Menſays to him, There is no need to lay out any thing for Supper, for he had got as much Victuals from good People as would ſerve them all three. At the ſame time he took out of his Bag Bread and Cheeſe, and ſome Fruit, and putting all upon the Table, they began to eat. The Highway-man who ſat at my Brother’s Right-Hand, pick’d out the beſt, and eat with them; but whatever Care he took to make no Noiſe, Backback heard his Chaps going, and cry’d out immediately, We are undone, there is a Stranger among us; and having ſaid ſo, he ſtretch’d out his Hand, and catching hold of the Highway-man by the Arm, cry’d out Thieves, fell upon him and box’d him. The other blind Men fell upon him in like manner, and the Highway-man defended him as well as he could; and being young and vigorous, and having the Advantage of his Eyes, he gave furious Blows, ſometime to one, ſometime to another, as he could come at them, and cry’d out Thieves louder than they did. The Neighbours came running at the Noiſe, broke open the Door, and had much ado to ſeparate the Combitants; but having at laſt done it; they ask’d the Cauſe of their Quarrel. My Brother, who ſtill had hold of the Highway man, cry’d out, Gentlemen, This Man that I have hold on is a Thief, and ſtole in with us on purpoſe to rob us of the little Money we have. The Thief, who ſhut his Eyes as ſoon as the Neighbours came, feign’d himſelf alſo to be blind, and crys out Gentlemen, he is a Liar, I ſwear to you by Heaven, and by the Life of the Califf, that I am their Companion, and they refuſe to give me my juſt Share. They have all three fallen upon me, and I demand Juſtice. The Neighbours would not med-dle with their Quarrel, but carried them all four before a Judge.

When they came before the Magiſtrate, the Highway- man, without ſtaying to be examin’d, cry’d out ſtill, feigning himſelf to be blind, Sir, ſence you are deputed to adminiſter Juſtice by the Califf, whom God proſper, I declare to you that we are equally Criminal, my three Comrades and I; but we have all engaged, upon Oath, to confeſs nothing except we be baſtinado’d; ſo that if you would know our Crime, you need only order us to be baſtinado’d, and begin with me. My Brother would have ſpoke, but was not allowed to do ſo; and the Highway-man was put under the Baſtinado.

Here Scheherazade ſtopt, becauſe it was Day, and the next Night reſumed her Story thus.

The Hundred and Seventy Fourth Night.

THE Robber being under the Baſtinado, had the Courage to bear twenty or thirty blows. When ſeeming to be overcome with Pain, he firſt opened one Eye, and then the other, and crying out for Mercy, begg’d the Judge would put a Stop to the Blows. The judge perceiv’d that he look’d upon him with his Eyes open, was much ſurpriz’d at it, and ſays to him, Rogue, what’s the meaning of this Miracle? Sir, reply’d the Highway-man, I will diſcover to you an important Secret, if you pardon me, and give me, as a Pledge that you will keep your Word, the Seal-Ring, which you have on your Finger, The Judge agreed to it, gave him his Ring, and promiſed him pardon. Upon this, ſays the Highway-man, I muſt Confeſs to you, Sir, that I and my three Comrades do all of us ſee very well: We ſeigned our ſelves to be blind, that we might freely enter into Peoples Houſes, and into Womens Apartments, where we abuſe their Frailty. I muſt farther Confeſs to you, that by this Trick we have gain’d together Ten Thouſand Drachms. This Day I demanded of my Partners 2500 that belonged to me as my Share, but they refus’d, becauſe I told them I would leave them; and they were afraid I ſhou’d accuſe them. Upon my preſſing ſtill to have my Share, they all three fell upon me, for which I appeal to thoſe People who brought us before you. I expect from you Juſtice, that you will make them deliver me the 2500 Drachms which is my Due; and if you have a Mind that my Comrades ſhould confeſs the Truth, you muſt order them three Times as many Blows as I have had, and you will find they will open their Eyes as well as I did.

My Brother and the-other two blind Men would have clear’d themſelves of this horrid Cheat, but the Judge would not hear them: Villains, ſays he, Do you feign your ſelves blind then, and under that Pretext cheat People by begging their Charity, and abuſing poor Women? He is a Cheat, cry’d my Brother, we take God to Witneſs that none of us can ſee.

All that my Brother could ſay was in vain, his Comrades and he received each of them 200 Blows. The Judge look’d always when they ſhould have opened their Eyes, and aſcrib’d to their Obſtinacy what really they could not do. All the while the Highway-man ſaid to the blind Men, Poor Fools that you are, open your Eyes, and don’t ſuffer your ſelves to be killed with Blows. Then addrefſing himſelf to the Judge, ſays, I perceive, Sir; that they will be maliciouſly obſtnate to the laſt, and will never open their Eyes: They have a mind certainly to avoid the Shame of reading their own Condemnation in the Race of every one that looks upon them; it were better, if you think fit, to pardon them, and ſend ſome Perſon along with me for the 10000 Drachms they have hid.

The Judge did ſo, gave the Highway-man 2500 Drachms, and kept the reſt to himſelf; and as for my Brother and his two Companions, he thought he ſhew’d them a great deal of Pity by ſentencing them only to be baniſhed. As ſoon as I heard what befel my Brother, I run after him; he told me his Misfortune, and I brought him back ſecretly to the Town, I could eaſily have juſtified him to the Judge, and have got the Highway-man punifh’d as he deſerved, but durſt not attempt it, for fear of bringing my ſelf into Trouble. Thus I finiſh’d the ſad Adventure of my honeſt blind Brother. The Califf laughed at it, as much as as thoſe he had heard before, and ordered again that ſomething could be given me; but without ſtaying for him, I begun the Story of my fourth Brother.