1826.] The Moth with the Golden Wings. 505 
tenderness and clemency! By the beard of my father, he dies! bring 
me his head!” It takes but a short time for Mesrour to depart from 
the court, to seize the person of Giaffar, and to bring the astonished 
culprit before the vengeful front of his master. “ How is this, slave ? 
questioned the Sultan ; “ are these your jewels ?” and he showed to the 
perturbed favourite the worthless fragments he had sent. It was in vain 
for Giaffar to protest that he must have dealt with a magician ; that 
they were, on ‘the last night, the most beautiful jewels: the Sultan 
orders the execution of Giaffar, and the court-crier proclaims through 
the principal streets of Bassora that, in two hours, Giaffar, the late 
favourite of the Sultan, is to be beheaded in the presence of the court. 
Let us now return to Beber, whom the slaves of Giaffar left in an 
unfrequented part of Bassora, insensible and almost naked. Twice did 
Bacroc think of despatching him, when his fellows, touched with some 
little compassion, dissuaded him from the deed, by assuring him that 
Beber being a stranger in Bassora, and unacquainted with either the 
mansion or the name of Giaffar, could not, even if he survived the effects 
of the soporific potion, be in any way dangerous. Beber, however, 
triumphed over the terrors of the night; and, waking in the morning, 
found himself hungry, pennyless, and almost naked. The recollection 
of the events of the preceding evening came over him, and he was 
about to inveigh bitterly against his destiny, when his good spirits came 
to his aid, and he took from a neighbouring reservoir a handful of water, 
saying before he drank, “I put the sweetmeat of resignation into 
the stream, and lo! I am nourished:” he no sooner had swallowed the 
water than he found his mouth filled with an admirable set of teeth! 
Beber was overcome with wonders ; he was lately become intimate with 
miracles, therefore he neither shouted nor danced, but meekly said : 
« There is but one God, and he is great.” Now Beber, as he strolled 
through the streets of Bassora, heard by chance the proclamation of 
the intended execution of Giaffar, and, suffering himself to be mingled 
in the crowd, he entered the large court, where the Sultan and his 
officers were assembled. When the order was given for the appearance 
of the culprit, what ‘was the surprise of Beber, to see in the person of 
the malefactor the knavish jewel merchant! “ Shall I also accuse 
him?” ‘said Beber to himself; “no: let not the hand strike him already _ 
down!” As this rejoinder passed through the brain of Beber, his 
blasted arm became'whole and sinewy; the last of his infirmities were 
eured, and now was Beber a healthful and a complete man. Prepara- 
tions are’ now made for instant execution ; the Sultan remains obdurate 
to the prayers of the condemned, who now walks to the fatal spot, 
round the circle made by the spectators: as he is just finishing his 
circuit, he stops short at Beber, and pointing him out, shouts aloud, 
“ Commander of the Faithful, here is the culprit—here is he who sold 
me the jewels!” The ceremony of death is for a time suspended ; and. 
Beber, arraigned at the throne, briefly describes to the Sultan his 
meeting with Giaffar ; how he had been despoiled by him of his jewels, 
and otherwise ill-used by him.”—« Jewels, dog!” exclaimed Giaffar ; 
“were they not withered flowers ?’—* Answer, slave !” thunders forth 
the Sultan. “ Commander of the Faithful,” replies Beber with good 
heart, for he sees at this moment the Moth with the Golden Wings 
hovering over him, “ they were jewels when I gave them into the 
keeping of Giaffar, albeit his wickedness may have transformed them.” 
M.M. New Series.—Vou. II. No. 11. 3 T 
