Page:Three crump twin brothers of Damascus (3).pdf/9

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opened, and ſuſpecting his wife of having ſome gallant hid in a corner, he took a ſtick end beat her ſoundly, afterwards his jealouſy inducing him to ſearch the houſe, he viſited every hole with the greateſt care, but never thought of looking behind the brandy tubs, though he went into the cellar. At laſt, the hump backed churie having made no diſcovery, grew a little calm: he locked all the doors taking the keys according to his cuſtom; went to bed with Nohoud; and did not go out all next day till towards the evening prayer, telling his wife he ſhould ſup with a friend. His back was hardly turned. when Nehoud ran immediadely to the cellar; but ſhe was in the utmoſt ſurpriſe at finding Ibad and Syahook without the leaſt ſigns of life: her perplexity increaſed, when ſhe conſidered ſhe had no way of getting quite of the two bodies, but taking her reſolution at once, ſhe ſhut the ſhop, ran to look towards the bridge at Bagdad for a fooliſh porter of Sivirhiſſer*, and having told him that a little humpbacked man who came into her houſe to buy ſome knives, having died there ſuddenly, the feared ſhe ſhould be brought to trouble about it; ſhe proffered him four ſequins of gold, if he would put him into his ſack and throw him into the Tygris. The porter accepted her offer; and Nohoud having taked him home with her, gave him two ſequins by way of earneſt, treating him with drink till it was night; ſhe put only one of the crumps in to his ſack, helped him up with it, and promiſed to give him the other two ſequins when ſhe was ſure he had performed the commiſſion.

The porter, with the crump upon his ſhoulders*Sivri-hiſſar is a town of Natolia, the inhabitants of which are famous for their ſimplicity.