260 LIFE OF MOHAMMED. 



of retaliation. If I have aspersed his reputation, 

 let him proclaim my faults. If I have ■ taken his 

 money, or despoiled him of his goods, I am ready 

 to give the little I possess to compensate his loss. 

 Let my accuser make his demand ; it is not my 

 disposition to resent the claims of justice." — " Yes," 

 exclaimed a voice from the crowd, " you owe me 

 three drachms of silver." Mohammed immediately 

 discharged the debt, and thanked his creditor for 

 accusing him in this world rather than at the day 

 of judgment. 



To his latest hour, and amid sorrow and suffer- 

 ing, he continued to act tlffe character of the Prophet ; 

 evincing at the closing scene of mortality the same 

 remarkable fortitude and presence of mind that he 

 had displayed on the field of battle. In one instance 

 only did the violence of disease betray his wander- 

 ing faculties into a momentary illusion, when he 

 called for pen and ink, that he might Avi-ite a book 

 for the better instruction of his followers, and to 

 consummate the work of revelation. The proposal 

 was startling, and met with opposition, as the Koran 

 was deemed sufficient : the chamber of sickness 

 was disturbed by an unseasonable dispute, until the 

 dying Prophet was forced to reprimand the indecent 

 vehemence of his disciples. Unwilling that his 

 attendants should witness the recurrence of his 

 infirmities, he ordered all persons to be excluded 

 from his apartment ; and the last three days of his 

 existence were spent in the exclusive society of 

 Ayesha. 



Tradition, which disfigured his life with romance, 

 has left us to contemplate the circumstance of his 

 death through a cloud of superstitious incense. If 

 we are to place the slightest credit on the evidence 

 of his only companion, he received more incontest- 

 able proofs to establish the truth of his mission at 

 its termination than in any former period. Gabriel 

 made regular visits of condolence and inquiry after 



