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Vexed with myself, and subdued by the pain, I fell on the ground, and my guards were ordered to carry me to the prison, where I was loaded with chains, and thrown into a deep dungeon. The next morning I was brought out again before the Cadi, and carried into the hall of justice.
Bennaskar, seeing his friend Mahoud had left him, went out, and soon returned again with him, and taking him into the closet, in a moment came forth, and, touching me, he said, "Come, fair Princess, the enchantments of Macoma are now at an end, and thou art given up entirely to Bennaskar." I shrieked at his words, hoping the Cadi would hear me, but in vain.
"What galley is that?" "Hassan Pasha's, viceroy of Cyprus." "How comes it, then, that you, being mussulmans are plundering this brigantine, on board of which, as we know, is the cadi of Nicosia?" The reply to this was that they only knew that the pasha had ordered them to take it, and that they, as his soldiers, had done his bidding.
But he and his guards laughed at my tale, and commanded me to deliver up my friend and the Princess of Cassimir. In vain did I call Allah to witness the truth of my story; the Cadi was enraged at my persisting in the tale, and ordered his guards to give me a hundred strokes with the chabouc.
Then said she, "Swear to me by Him who hath lodged the soul in the body and given laws to mankind, that thou wilt not beset me with aught of violence, but by way of wrestling; else mayst thou die out of the pale of Islam." "By Allah," exclaimed Sherkan, "if a Cadi should swear me, though he were Cadi of the Cadis, he would not impose on me the like of this oath!"
"Truly, charitable sir," replied Giaffar in a humble tone, "we are distressed merchants, strangers in this city, who have lost our way, and fear to be seized by the watch perhaps carried before the cadi. We beseech thee, therefore, to admit us within thy doors, and Allah will reward thy humanity." "Admit you within my doors! not I, indeed.
But one day the cadi, who had heard my wine extolled, came privately to my house; I bowed to the ground at the honour conferred, for I had long wished to have him as a customer.
"Ah, welcome," said the Cadi, "so you are going already!" and immediately ordered the treasurer to pay the five hundred piasters to the Chepdji. "You see," said the Cadi to the Hanoum, "what confidence the people have in me. This money I have held for some time without receipt or acknowledgment; but directly it is asked for it is paid."
Finally, in every aoul resides a cadi, or elder, who is required to make reports to his naib of all important occurrences, to keep the peace, to deliver up persons accused of crimes, to promulgate the orders and proclamations of his superiors, and to keep swift horses constantly standing saddled and bridled for the instant despatch of messengers of State.
The pretended Cadi listened attentively to what they said, and then addressing the lad who took the part of Abul he asked, "Abul Hassan, are you willing to swear that you have not touched the jar nor opened it?" The pretended merchant said he was. The lad then asked, "Has Ali Cogia brought the jar of olives into court with him?"
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