Edouard Rene Lefebvre-Laboulaye, 1811-1883, was a French writer of note.
Most of his works involve questions of law and politics, and are
considered high authority on the questions discussed. A few works, such as
"Abdallah," from which the following extract is adapted, were written as a
mere recreation in the midst of law studies; they show great imaginative
power. Laboulaye took great interest in the United States, her people, and
her literature; and many of his works are devoted to American questions.
He translated the works of Dr. William E. Channing into French.
###
Mansour, the Egyptian merchant, one day repaired to the cadi on account of
a suit, the issue of which troubled him but little. A private conversation
with the judge had given him hopes of the justice of his cause. The old
man asked his son Omar to accompany him in order to accustom him early to
deal with the law.
The cadi was seated in the courtyard of the mosque. He was a fat,
good-looking man, who never thought, and talked little, which, added to
his large turban and his air of perpetual astonishment, gave him a great
reputation for justice and gravity.
The spectators were numerous; the principal merchants were seated on the
ground on carpets, forming a semicircle around the magistrate. Mansour
took his seat a little way from the sheik, and Omar placed himself between
the two, his curiosity strongly excited to see how the law was obeyed, and
how it was trifled with in case of need.
The first case called was that of a young Banian, as yellow as an orange,
with loose flowing robes and an effeminate air, who had lately landed from
India, and who complained of having been cheated by one of Mansour's
rivals.
"Having found a casket of diamonds among the effects left by my father,"
said he, "I set out for Egypt, to live there on the proceeds of their
sale. I was obliged by bad weather to put into Jidda, where I soon found
myself in want of money. I went to the bazaar, and inquired for a dealer
in precious stones. The richest, I was told, was Mansour; the most honest,
Ali, the jeweler. I applied to Ali.
"He welcomed me as a son, as soon as he learned that I had diamonds to
sell, and carried me home with him. He gained my confidence by every kind
of attention, and advanced me all the money I needed. One day, after
dinner, at which wine was not wanting, he examined the diamonds, one by
one, and said, 'My child, these diamonds are of little value; my coffers
are full of such stones. The rocks of the desert furnish them by
thousands.'
"To prove the truth of what he said, he opened a box, and, taking
therefrom a diamond thrice as large as any of mine, gave it to the slave
that was with me. 'What will become of me?' I cried; 'I thought myself
rich, and here I am, poor, and a stranger.'
"'My child,' replied Ali, 'Leave this casket with me, and I will give you
a price for it such as no one else would offer. Choose whatever you wish
in Jidda, and in two hours I will give you an equal weight of what you
have chosen in exchange for your Indian stones.'
"On returning home, night brought reflection. I learned that Ali had been
deceiving me. What he had given to the slave was nothing but a bit of
crystal. I demanded my casket. Ali refused to restore it. Venerable
magistrate, my sole hope is in your justice."
It was now Ali's turn to speak. "Illustrious cadi," said he, "It is true
that we made a bargain, which I am ready to keep, The rest of the young
man's story is false. What matters it what I gave the slave? Did I force
the stranger to leave the casket in my hands? Why does he accuse me of
treachery? Have I broken my word, and has he kept his?"
"Young man," said the cadi to the Banian, "have you witnesses to prove
that Ali deceived you? If not, I shall put the accused on his oath, as the
law decrees." A Koran was brought. Ali placed his hand on it, and swore
three times that he had not deceived the stranger. "Wretch," said the
Banian, "thou art among those whose feet go down to destruction. Thou hast
thrown away thy soul."
Omar smiled, and while Ali was enjoying the success of his ruse, he
approached the stranger, and asked, "Do you wish me to help you gain the
suit?" "Yes," was the reply; "but you are only a child--you can do
nothing."
"Have confidence in me a few moments," said Omar; "accept Ali's bargain;
let me choose in your stead, and fear nothing."
The stranger bowed his head, and murmured, "What can I fear after having
lost all?" Then, turning to the cadi, and bowing respectfully, "Let the
bargain be consummated," said he, "since the law decrees it, and let this
young man choose in my stead what I shall receive in payment."
A profound silence ensued. Omar rose, and, bowing to the cadi, "Ali," said
he to the jeweler, "you have doubtless brought the casket, and can tell us
the weight thereof."
"Here it is," said Ali; "it weighs twenty pounds. Choose what you will; if
the thing asked for is in Jidda, you shall have it within two hours,
otherwise the bargain is null and void."
"What we desire," said Omar, raising his voice, "is ants' wings, half male
and half female. You have two hours in which to furnish the twenty pounds
you have promised us." "This is absurd," cried the jeweler; "it is
impossible. I should need half a score of persons and six months labor to
satisfy so foolish a demand."
"Are there any winged ants in Jidda?" asked the cadi. "Of course,"
answered the merchants, laughing; "they are one of the plagues of Egypt.
Our houses are full of them, and it would be doing us a great service to
rid us of them."
"Then Ali must keep his promise or give back the casket," said the cadi.
"This young man was mad to sell his diamonds weight for weight; he is mad
to exact such payment. So much the better for Ali the first time: so much
the worse for him the second. Justice has not two weights and measures.
Every bargain holds good before the law. Either furnish twenty pounds of
ants' wings, or restore the casket to the Banian." "A righteous judgment,"
shouted the spectators, wonder-struck at such equity.
[Illustration: In front of a middle-eastern building; a man seated with a
sword and water-pipe, facing a crowd. A small boy with his left arm
outstreached, is speaking to the man. A taller young man stands to the
right of the small boy; an older man stands further to the right.]
The stranger, beside himself with joy, took from the casket three diamonds
of the finest water; he forced them on Omar, who put them in his girdle,
and seated himself by his father, his gravity unmoved by the gaze of the
assembly. "Well done," said Mansour; "but it is my turn now; mark me well,
and profit by the lesson I shall give you. Stop, young man!" he cried to
the Banian, "we have an account to settle."
"The day before yesterday," continued he, "this young man entered my shop,
and, bursting into tears, kissed my hand and entreated me to sell him a
necklace which I had already sold to the Pasha of Egypt, saying that his
life and that of a lady depended upon it. 'Ask of me what you will, my
father,' said he, 'but I must have these gems or die.'
"I have a weakness for young men, and, though I knew the danger of
disappointing my master the pasha, I was unable to resist his
supplications. 'Take the necklace,' said I to him, 'but promise to give
whatever I may ask in exchange.' 'My head itself, if you will,' he
replied, 'for you have saved my life,' We were without witnesses, but,"
added Mansour, turning to the Banian, "is not my story true?"
"Yes," said the young man, "and I beg your pardon for not having satisfied
you sooner: you know the cause. Ask of me what you desire."
"What I desire," said Mansour, "is the casket with all its contents.
Illustrious magistrate, you have declared that all bargains hold good
before the law; this young man has promised to give me what I please; now
I declare that nothing pleases me but these diamonds."
The cadi raised his head and looked about the assembly, as if to
interrogate the faces, then stroked his beard, and relapsed into his
meditations.
"Ali is defeated," said the sheik to Omar, with a smile, "The fox is not
yet born more cunning than the worthy Mansour."
"I am lost!" cried the Banian. "O Omar, have you saved me only to cast me
down from the highest pinnacle of joy to the depths of despair? Persuade
your father to spare me, that I may owe my life to you a second time."
"Well, my son," said Mansour, "doubtless you are shrewd, but this will
teach you that your father knows rather more than you do. The cadi is
about to decide: try whether you can dictate his decree."
"It is mere child's play," answered Omar, shrugging his shoulders; "but
since you desire it, my father, you shall lose your suit." He rose, and
taking a piaster from his girdle, put it into the hand of the Banian, who
laid it before the judge.
"Illustrious cadi," said Omar, "this young man is ready to fulfill his
engagement. This is what he offers Mansour--piaster. In itself this coin
is of little value; but examine it closely, and you will see that it is
stamped with the likeness of the sultan, our glorious master. May God
destroy and confound all who disobey his highness!
"It is this precious likeness that we offer you," added he, turning to
Mansour; "if it pleases you, you are paid; to say that it displeases you
is an insult to the pasha, a crime punishable by death; and I am sure that
our worthy cadi will not become your accomplice--he who has always been
and always will be the faithful servant of an the sultans."
When Omar had finished speaking, all eyes turned toward the cadi, who,
more impenetrable than ever, stroked his face and waited for the old man
to come to his aid. Mansour was agitated and embarrassed. The silence of
the cadi and the assembly terrified him, and he cast a supplicating glance
toward his son.
"My father," said Omar, "permit this young man to thank you for the lesson
of prudence which you have given him by frightening him a little. He knows
well that it was you who sent me to his aid, and that all this is a farce.
No one is deceived by hearing the son oppose the Father, and who has ever
doubted Mansour's experience and generosity?"
"No one," interrupted the cadi, starting up like a man suddenly awakened
from a dream, "and I least of all; and this is why I have permitted you to
speak, my young Solomon. I wished to honor in you the wisdom of your
father; but another time avoid meddling with his highness's name; it is
not safe to sport with the lion's paws. The matter is settled. The
necklace is worth a hundred thousand piasters, is it not, Mansour? This
madcap, shall give you, therefore, a hundred thousand piasters, and all
parties will be satisfied."
NOTES--A cadi in the Mohammedan countries corresponds to our magistrate.
A sheik among the Arabs and Moors, may mean simply an old man, or, as in
this case, a man of eminence.
A Banian is a Hindoo merchant, particularly one who visits foreign
countries on business.