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This was no other than Reuben Maliki, keeper of the poor box of the Jews; for as well as a usurer he was a silversmith, and kept his shop in the Sok el Foki.
The soldier and police fell into the humour of the multitude. Salaams were made to Israel; selhams were flung on the ground before the feet of Naomi. Reuben Maliki pushed through the crowd, and walked backward, and cried, in his harsh, nasal croak "Brothers of Tetuan, behold your benefactor! Make way for him! Make way! make way!"
O prince, I recollected this circumstance on seeing your forlorn situation, and determined within myself to conduct you by some means or other to Maliki Sadik, and mention to him your uncle's tyranny. On hearing all these consoling circumstances from Mubarak, I said to him, "O friend, you are now the disposer of my life; do whatever is best with regard to me."
Then she who was so called, one Rebecca Bensabbot, deaf as a stone, weak in her intellect, seventy years of age, and living fifty years on the poor-box which Reuben Maliki kept, crossed Israel in the streets, and cursed him as a son of Beelzebub predicting that, even as he had made the walls of the Kasbah to echo with the groans of God's elect, so should his own spirit be broken within them and his forehead humbled to the earth.
In this state of despondence, I gave a sigh, and followed the first path that offered; if I met any one any where, I inquired after the name of Maliki Sadik; he, thinking me mad, answered that he had not even heard his name.
Remember this girl Naomi, this offspring of sin, this accursed and afflicted one, still blind and speechless!" Then the voices of the crowd came to Naomi's ears like the neigh of a breathless horse. Fatimah had laid hold of her gown and was whispering. "Come! Let us away!" But Naomi only clutched her hand and trembled. The harsh voice of Reuben Maliki rose in the air again.
I replied, "O friend, what has Maliki Sadik to do here? my heart will not mind me, and how can I have patience? let what will happen, whether I live or perish, let me now enjoy her." Mubarak, having lost all patience, replied, with anger, "Do not act like a boy; now, in an instant, matters will change dreadfully; do you think Maliki Sadik far off, that you disregard his injunctions?
I saw they were well lighted, and stools of various kinds were arranged in double rows, on which were seated men of learning, philosophers, darweshes, nobles, and the officers of state; servants of various grades with their arms across were in waiting, and in the centre was placed a throne set with precious stones, on which was seated with an air of dignity, the king, Maliki Sadik, with a crown of his head, and clothed in a tunic set with pearls.
One day, a happy hour being fixed upon, the prince Bakhtiyar was married to the princess Roshan Akhtar; and the young merchant of Yaman was married to the princess of Dimashk; and the prince of Persia was married to the princess of Basra; and the prince of 'Ajam was married to the princess of the Franks; Bihzad Khan was married to the daughter of the king of Nimroz; and the prince of Nimroz was married to the jinn's daughter; and the prince of China was married to the daughter of the old blind man of Hindustan; she who had been in the possession of Maliki Sadik.
Only his enemies he invited, his bitterest foes, his unceasing revilers, and among them were the three base usurers, Abraham Pigman, Judah ben Lolo, and Reuben Maliki. "They cursed me," he thought, "and I shall look on their confusion." His heart thirsted to summon Rebecca Bensabbot also, but well he knew that her dainty masters would not sit at meat with her.
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