Page:Three crump twin-brothers of Damascus.pdf/21

 CRUMP TWIN-BROTHERS. 21 for his two brothers obſtinately perſiſed in rob- bing him of his name. The Caliph could not help laughing at this comical conteſt of the three crumps; but having. at length reaſſumed his gravity ; There would be no ſuch diſpute among you, ſaid he, which ſhould be Babekan, if you knew that I want to diſtinguilh him only to give him a thouſand baſtinadoes for his cruelty to his brothers, and for his forbidding his wife to entertain them in his abſence. Watik-billah pronounced theſe words in ſo ſe- vere a tone, that Ibad and Syahouk thought it high time to give over the jeſt: If it be ſo, my lord, ſaid each of them ſeparately, we are no longer what we pretended to be, with a deſign to puniſh our brother for his ill uſage of us: if there are any blows to be received, let him receive them, for they are no more than he deſerves : as for us, my lord; we implore your generoſity, and we are in hopes that your auguſt majeſty, who never ſuf fers any to depart unſatisfied, will have the good- neſs to alleviate our miſery and want. The Caliph' then threw his eyes upon Bakekan, whom he ſaw in the greateſt confuſion. Well, ſaid he to him, what hint thou to ſay for thyſelf? Potent King, replied Babekan, with his face proſ- trated to earth, whatever puniſhment I am to look for from your juſtice, I am nevertheleſs the huſ- band of this woman; my crime is ſtill the greater, in that being the only cauſe of the paniſhment of my brothers from the city of Damaſcus, for a murder of which our reſemblance hindered me from being known the author, I ought to have let them participate in my good fortune, as they ſhar- ed in my bad: but if a ſincere repentance can ob- tain my pardon, I offer from the bottom of my heart to give them equal parts of all the money I have