Page:Three crump twin brothers of Damascus (3).pdf/19

 at the fight of his brothers, who were laid upon ſophas. He almoſt cracked his eye-ſtrings with ſtaring at them, and could not poſſible conceive how he came into that ſtrange place with them. He ſuffered himſelf to be undreſſed without uttering a ſingle word, while the ſame was done to Ibad and Syahouk.

The Caliph having cauſed the three crumps to be carried into differert chambers, had them put to bed, and locked up. Then he ſent away the fiſherman, and having ordered the vizier to keep the porter, and to uſe him with great kindneſs he prepared to divert himſelf at the expence of the crooked brothers and the cutler woman, whom he arreſted next morning by the break of day.

To heighten the diverſion, the Caliph cauſed to be made that night two ſuits of clothes exactly like that which Babeken wore, when he was thrown in te the Tygris. He ordered them to be put upon Ibad and Syahouk, whoſe drunken fit was quite over, and being all dreſſed exactly alike, he placed them bahind three different pieces of hagning in a magnificent hall of the palace, and gave orders that they ſhould be diſcovered upon his making a certain ſign.

The vizier, who, with the porter and ſeveral guards had been early in the morning to arreſt the cutler's wife, brought her into the hall, where the Caliph was already placed upon his throne.

He examined her with relation to what paſſed between her and the porter. She told him all that had happened, without concealing a title of the truth; and ſeemed very much concerned at the loſs of her husband. But ſaid the Caliph is not this a made ſtory which you tell me? how is it poſſible theſe three crooked brothers ſhould be ſo exactly alike that the porter ſhould be deceived by