Page:Three crump twin brothers of Damascus (3).pdf/8

 ſtay there almoſt three weeks, their money was ſoon gone, and they reduced to their former want: not knowing how to live, in ſpite of the ſevere prohibition they had recived from Babeken, they reſolved to go back to Bagdad: they went to their former landlady, and begged her to go once more to their brother, in order to perſuade him, if ſhe could to take them into his houſe, or at leaſt to give them a little money to defray the charge of their journey.

The poor woman could not refuſe to do them that ſervice, ſhe went to Babeken's houſe, and being informed at his shop that he had been gone twelve days to Balſora, to fetch ſeveral bales of merchandiſes, the returned immediately to tell the news to her gueſts, who were ſo hard preſſed by their neceſſity, that they went themſelves to implore the aſſiſtance of their brother.

Noboud could not help knowing them, they reſembled Babelen fo exactly, that there was no body but would have miſtaken each of them apart for him; but though he had ſo ſtrictly commanded her not to let them into her houſe ſhe was touched with their poverty and tears; ſhe entertained them, and ſet ſome victuals before them It was now dark night: and Ibad and Syahook had ſcarce ſatisfied their firſt hunger, when ſomebody rattled at the door: the voice of Babeken, who was not to have returned in three days longer, was a thunderbolt to his wife and brothers; they turned as pale as death, and Nohoud, who did not know where to put them, to conceal them from her huſband's fury thought at laſt of hiding them in a little cellar behind five or ſix tubs of brandy.

Babeken grew impatient at the door; he knocked louder and louder every moment; at laſt it was