“ ‘The plaintiff in reciting the clause,’ said His Holiness quite suddenly, ‘emphasized a very singular phrase “forever and forever,” and also those other words, “so long as the state endures,” but I noticed a curious hesitation upon his part when he came to this word and.’
“Here someone in the back of the court yawned in so audible a manner that there was a sudden interruption signalling an ejection, and I learned later that the unfortunate man had perished as he deserved.
“ ‘I appreciate fully,’ continued the judge, ‘that my decision will, subject to appeal, determine in great part the future of this ancient state. Since we are destined soon to acquire and administer the whole world it may be said that my humble remarks upon this occasion will deflect the history of the human race itself. No one can be insensitive to such a responsibility. My duty is clear. The word “and,” standing as it does between the first and second parts of the phrase on which is based plaintiff’s claim under the charter, clearly determines that claim. But to determine is to terminate. The plaintiff has therefore no rights here, in the sense of the word “rights” as used by the august body of our Statute and Common Law. He is at the mercy of the Crown, and his claim is disallowed. He may think himself lucky that I have not taken ad vantage of my full powers and had him whipped at the cart’s tail or thrown down a well. Let record be made and all adjudged as decided.’ With this His Holiness majestically rose, granted a benediction to the kneeling multitude, and was about to leave the court when the pleader Selim interrupted with the words:
“ ‘What about costs, your Godship?’
“ ‘With the Judgment,’ said the judge wearily over his shoulder; and I noticed to my dismay ten pens busily scribbling and wondered what was coming next.
“Indeed I was weary of the whole affair and desired nothing better than to hide my humble head in my poor lodging and on the morrow with what was left of my poor little hoard—at the most 400 dinars—to leave for the mainland, and there with this tiny capital attempt to reconstruct my fortunes.
“It was not to be as I imagined. Even as I approached the door of the court I was approached by the pleader Selim, who repeated that phrase hitherto meaningless, ‘What about costs?’ and found I might not depart from the building till I had provided 350 dinars, leaving me with exactly fifty to face the world! Luckily I had my pouch upon me. I hurriedly counted out this last poor remainder of my wealth; then, fearing to return to my lodging (the rent of which I could no longer discharge) I paced hopelessly along the quays through the evening and on through the darkness, until, about midnight, I espied a master mariner about to board his vessel.
“ ‘For what sum,’ I asked him, ‘will you take me on deck to the mainland?’
“ ‘It is a hundred dinars,’ he said roughly.
“ ‘I have it not,’ I answered. My stomach was already clamouring for food. ‘I have but fifty dinars, and some part of that I must reserve for my nourishment lest I perish before reaching land.’
“ ‘Well,’ said he a little less roughly but with no humanity in his tone, ‘you may crawl up forward among the cordage if you like and give me forty-five of your coins; the five you shall keep to feed yourself with when you land.’
“I thanked him humbly for his unexpected kindness. I tried to find some warmth in the chilly night, huddled amid coils of rope on the little deck forward. At dawn the last of the crew came aboard, two great sails were hoisted and we passed out upon the sea.
“Before the sun was high we had dropped over the horizon, and left behind us the palaces of the land where I had thought to find security and repose. There I was, I who had so lately had the world at my disposal, a beggar, hopeless for the coming days, and wondering where on my landing I should find food to keep me living for a week together.”
As Mahmoud was concluding there rose a loud wail, piercing and prolonged which startled him and all the file of boys aligned cross-legged before him upon the floor. It proceeded from the youngest of the nephews.
“What is it, my little fellow?” said his uncle in real alarm.
“Ah! Ah!” sobbed out the poor infant. “Lost! lost! All lost! All that lovely money lost! I cannot bear it, uncle. I cannot bear it!” and he burst into floods of tears.
“For heaven’s sake,” said the old man, rolling upon his seat in his concern for the child, “do not take on so! There is no cause for such a bother. You make too much of it. It is but part of a tale. Do you not see how I have been restored to great fortune? Are you not in this palace of mine with all my slaves around you? and splendid hangings upon the wall? Come, look about you and do not mix up these words of the past with real things that you can touch and see today.”
The little boy tried to stifle his sobs, but they returned with increased violence.
“Oh, uncle, to think that you, who had been so rich, should become so poor; to think that those who gain great wealth cannot keep it forever! Consider all your wealth! Oh, it is terrible, the
