me to judge, let it be declared."
Then with less self-possession and confidence than his colleagues had
displayed, a fourth member of the divan presented himself. "Here, my
lord," said he, "is a strange affair which occupies us, and which thou
alone canst judge.
"These two men here present are twin-brothers. They have always loved
each other, and have never been separated. Their father is just dead.
After having deplored his loss, they said to each other: 'The roof of
our father's dwelling has sheltered us to this day, let it shelter us
still; and let us amicably share all that is left us by our father,
arms, vestments, or jewels.'
"But all at once an object presented itself which could not be
divided, and for the loss of which nothing else would compensate. The
article in question is a holy amulet, which it is said bestows wisdom
on him who wears it upon his breast beneath his tunic. Now the two
brothers equally desire wisdom, and both would fain possess the
precious talisman left them by their father."
Hadgi-Achmet having heard these words, knit his brows, again his eyes
flashed fire, as he said to one of the twins:
"Mozza, canst thou not yield to thy brother, who so earnestly desires
it, the amulet left you both by your father?"
"No, my lord," replied Mozza, "I could easily reconcile myself to my
brother's being richer than myself, but not to his being wiser!"
Hadgi-Achmet turned to the other brother:
"Farzan, canst thou not yield to thy brother the amulet he wishes to
possess?"
"No, my lord," replied Farzan, "for wisdom not alone bestows upon its
possessor the things of the earth, but those also which belong to
heaven, and I desire those above all."
Hadgi-Achmet then ordered Mozza to place upon his breast beneath his
tunic the cherished amulet, which being done, he said to the young
man:
"I am charmed to find that thou preferrest wisdom to fortune, for
wisdom is above all. But dost thou not see that it is wise to be at
peace with thy brother, and that to obtain this peace there is no
sacrifice too great? To yield to thy brother is the beginning and the
end of wisdom; he who yields is ever the best and the wisest. On this
ground thou wilt now, I am persuaded, yield cheerfully this amulet to
thy brother."
"I repeat, my lord," answered Mozza, "that I will yield every thing to
my brother, slaves, diamonds, house--my entire fortune; but I will
never willingly give up this sacred amulet: it is the only heritage I
covet."
"Ah!" said Hadgi-Achmet, "thou hast not changed thy mind then! well,
give me thy father's amulet."
Mozza reluctantly handed the precious talisman to the dey.
"Farzan," said the dey, "place this amulet upon thy breast, and
beneath thy tunic."
Farzan obeyed. He had no sooner placed the amulet upon his breast than
he felt so lively a joy that he would have embraced his brother had he
dared, and his eyes glistened with pleasure.
"Ah!" said Hadgi-Achmet, addressing himself to Farzan, "I perceive
that this amulet has great power over thee. Thy heart is opened to
wisdom, and thou wilt renounce foolish quarrels, wilt thou not, and
yield to thy brother the talisman which he so much desires, and of
which he has perhaps greater need than thou?"
"I!" cried Farzan, "rather would I die than part with my father's
amulet! I feel myself capable of plunging my dagger into the bosom of
any one rash enough to attempt to tear it from me, whoever he might
be."
"In truth," rejoined Hadgi-Achmet, "I see that this amulet is far from
bestowing all the wisdom of which you young men deem it capable. On
the contrary it only seems to me fit to sow dissensions between you,
since notwithstanding you have both worn it upon your breast, you
have nevertheless preserved your animosity and unjust pretensions in
the dispute in question. For which reason I ordain that this precious
talisman, of whose real power we are doubtless ignorant, shall remain
in my palace and be restored in ten years' time to whichever of you
two shall have given by his conduct the most incontestable proofs of
piety and virtue."
Having heard this sentence, the two brothers sorrowfully withdrew. But
they had no sooner crossed the threshold of the palace, than they were
reconciled to each other, avowing that the dey had acted with justice,
and thenceforth they lived happy and united as before.
In the mean time, Hadgi-Achmet, having delivered these four judgments,
knit his brows once more, and turning to the members of the divan,
addressed them as follows:
"Joyfully have I just occupied myself with the smallest things which
concern the welfare and repose of my subjects, and I should not regret
my time had it been employed in affairs still more trifling. Every
thing appears of importance to me which in any way relates to the
wellbeing of one of those over whom Allah has made me sovereign. I
nothing doubt that you applaud my conduct, and that you would gladly
imitate my zeal in the service of the people. Your praises prove it;
but I know well that men such as you prefer proving their zeal by
actions, rather than by words. I am about therefore to entrust you
with a task of great importance to me, since it is for the most
interesting class of my subjects, namely, the most unfortunate. I am
about to distribute before the Ramadan, four sacks of rice among poor
old men and widows. An unskilful hand has contrived in filling these
sacks with the rice, to spill amongst it a quantity of _oats_. Now as
I do not wish these poor people to think themselves treated with
contempt by receiving rice mixed with oats, I wish that pious hands
should carefully sift the rice and extract from it these grains. It is
on you I rely for the performance of this duty, which awaits you in
one of the halls of my palace. I cannot at this moment be an
eye-witness of your zeal in obeying me, and serving the people; but
before your task is finished, I will be with you."
Having spoken these words, the dey caused the members of the divan to
be respectfully conducted by his guards to a large hall, where they
found four sacks of rice and several baskets.
The members of the divan feeling persuaded that this was an affair
which more nearly concerned their heads than the sacks of rice, set
themselves silently to this unexpected work, whilst the guards
remained stationary at the entrance of the hall in which the labour
was being carried on.
The flight of a musquito might have been heard in this hall where the
members of the divan were busily engaged sifting the rice for the
poor, all the while vowing to be revenged upon Hadgi-Achmet, if they
ever had the power.
Towards the evening the members of the divan were joined by
Hadgi-Achmet, who perceiving that one of them had made less progress
in his task than his three colleagues, said,
"I would not accuse thee of want of zeal: man knows not always what he
wishes, nor knows what he can do; I will therefore aid thee in thy
task," and he began gravely to assist the four members of the divan in
sifting the rice of the poor.
The tasks being accomplished, the four sacks of rice were carefully
closed. Hadgi-Achmet thanked his enemies, and caused them to be
conducted with the greatest respect to the gates of his palace.
These men left to themselves, regarded each other with consternation
and shame; they then said, "We would fain have laughed at
Hadgi-Achmet, and it is he who has mocked us. Let us henceforth
abstain from criticizing his scrupulous exactitude in rendering
justice, but let us think only of avenging ourselves."
But they sought the opportunity in vain. Hadgi-Achmet, who had
commenced his career by so carefully mending his old slippers, held
the reins of power with a strong hand, and whilst other deys in those
times almost always met a violent death by steel or poison, he died
peacefully in his palace, after having lived many long years.
V.
THE TUNISIAN SAGE; OR, THE POWDER OF LONGEVITY.
Selim-ben-Foubi had been twenty years engaged in commerce when he
inherited a fortune which greatly surpassed his wants and even his
desires.
As he had lost all his children, his great wealth caused him but
little joy, and he felt it even embarrassing to possess so much gold
and so many precious things, of which he should never be able to make
any use.
"I am now fifty," said he, "and were I to live to a hundred, I should
not spend half of what I possess. I can only take one meal at a time,
dress in a single suit, and sleep in but one bed. Hence if I can but
rest in peace in a substantial and commodious house, eat as much as I
desire, and invite a friend to partake of my repast, that is all I
need wish for. I have therefore resolved to give away the half of my
fortune during my lifetime, that I may enjoy the pleasure of beholding
happiness of my own creating."
Having formed this generous project, Selim nevertheless wished before
putting it into execution to take counsel with two of his friends.
Quitting therefore his country-house at Boudjareah, he repaired to
Aldgezaire, where in the garden of the grand mosque dwelt usually a
sage mufti, a grave and reverend man. Seating himself by his side
beneath the shade of some flowering pomegranate trees, he thus
accosted him:
"Mehemet, I have come to visit thee in order to open my whole heart
to thee and take counsel of thy wisdom. I am suddenly become very
rich, as thou knowest, and I have no son to inherit my wealth; is it
not too great for a single solitary man? speak, answer me."
"That which Allah gives should never be despised," replied the sage.
"I do not disdain my riches," replied Selim, "but I am thinking of
sharing them with others, and of keeping only what is necessary to my
existence for the remainder of my days."
"Thou knowest not what the number of thy days will be."
"I will suppose that I may enjoy the longest of lives, a hundred years
for example, thinkest thou I shall live yet longer?"
"Allah alone knows."
"Let us say five hundred," continued Selim, "surely that covers all
chances; well then, during this long course of years, would it not be
more agreeable to me to know that my riches are useful, than to feel
that they were hidden in some coffer, where they might become an
object of envy to the poor, or tempt the cupidity of the ill-doer?"
"May be so," said the mufti.
"My thought is a good one then?"
"It may be; but will it be good in practice? I cannot say. Nothing is
more common than to think wisely; nothing more rare than to put wise
thoughts into practice."
"Advise me," said Selim, "and I shall then be sure of fulfilling the
law, and of doing good. How ought I to distribute the half of my large
fortune?"
The mufti reflected profoundly, and then replied:
"I advise thee first to take at least one year to reflect upon thy
project. Time is the sun that ripens the thoughts of men. We never
repent of having reflected before acting; we often regret not having
done so. Reflect then, and afterwards come and consult with me."
Selim quitted the mosque, and repaired to Bab-a-Zoun street, to the
house of his other friend, a Moorish merchant, who laboured hard to
support himself by his calling. He began thus:
"We have been friends and have known each other these ten years, for
which reason I come to put to thee this question: 'In what way,
thinkest thou, a man who is both rich and beneficent should employ his
fortune, in order to be useful?'"
The Moorish merchant replied: "Thou makest a very singular demand of
me. I cannot believe that a man can find any difficulty in giving, if
he really possess the desire. He may found a mosque, succour the aged,
support the widow and the orphan, enrich his friends, if he have any,
and the rich are seldom without friends."
"But thou," rejoined Selim, "if thou hadst aught to give away, what
wouldst thou do?"
"I? I cannot fancy myself having any thing to give away, seeing that I
can scarcely pay the rent of my poor shop, and fill that shop with a
few sacks of rice and a little coffee. If I had money, it is very
certain that I should begin by buying a house and goods. It is of no
use to say to a poor man like me, 'To whom wouldst thou give thy
money?' But I repeat to thee there is no lack of good actions to be
done. Happy he who has only to choose."
"Thou art right," said Selim to his friend; and quitting him, he
returned to his country-house at Boudjareah. One of his neighbours,
Achmet the Arab, accosted him upon the road thither; and Selim, having
stopped to converse with his friend, said to him: "Thou art of a ripe
age, and art not wanting in experience of the things of this life.
Tell me then if thou considerest that it would be well for a man who
is rich and childless to give away, while still living, the half of
his fortune, reserving the other half, upon which to subsist
honourably the remainder of his days."
Achmet replied, "I cannot say whether it is better in the sight of
Allah to give away or to retain the goods with which he has endowed
thee. As for myself, I have nothing to give, for I have a very small
fortune, and a great many children; but if I were rich and without
heirs, I would bury my gold in some corner of my garden, sooner than
bestow it to gratify men who are either wicked or ungrateful, and such
they almost all are. This gold would sooner or later be discovered by
some one whom Allah desired to enrich, and thus I should not be
responsible for the use that was made of it."
"Thy idea is not, perhaps, a bad one," said Selim, "and I will
certainly reflect upon it."
While Selim and his neighbour were talking together, a Tunisian of
miserable aspect approached the spot. This was no other than Hussein
Muley, a physician of Tunis. He was already advanced in years, and
passed for a man rich in science, but poor in money. Selim requested
this man to rest himself in his house, and his invitation being
accepted, he saluted his neighbour Achmet, and conducted his guest
into one of the fresh and salubrious halls of his smiling abode.
Hussein Muley, fatigued by two hours' walk under a broiling sun, threw
himself upon a divan, whilst fruits and coffee were abundantly served
to him. When he had somewhat reposed and refreshed himself, Selim said
to him in a friendly manner, "I am happy to receive thee at my house,
because thou art a wise man, and of good renown in thy profession.
Thou hast travelled, read, and seen life; thou must of necessity be
able to judge wisely of the things which relate to this life. I should
therefore be very glad to have thy opinion upon a project which I have
formed. I have become very rich by inheritance; and having no
children, I think of disposing, while yet living, of a great portion
of my wealth. In what way dost thou consider it would be most
desirable to employ this wealth?"
Hussein Muley regarded Selim with surprise.
"Thou wouldst give away a great portion of what thou hast," said he.
"This is, indeed, a marvellous thing. I have, as thou sayest,
travelled, read, and seen life, but never yet have I heard of any man
giving away, during his lifetime, the greater part of his fortune."
"Does that prove that it would be wrong to do so?" demanded Selim.
"I know not," replied the Tunisian, falling into a fit of profound
meditation, and looking all the while at the tips of his old slippers,
instead of contemplating from afar the ever-changing sea and azure
sky.
"On what dost thou muse?" at length demanded Selim.
"I was thinking--I was thinking that if the duration of man's life
were longer, it would be better both for those who study science, and
for those who are the fortunate possessors of great wealth; it would
be equally good for the poor, since they might one day hope to enjoy
the fruit of their toils, if they took pains to become rich."
"What profits it to meditate so deeply upon a thing which all the
reflections of man cannot change?"
"I do not regard the prolongation of human existence as impossible.
Hitherto physicians have most frequently been instrumental in
abridging it. My aim is to repair the wrongs they have involuntarily
committed. I would have succeeding ages regard my memory with
gratitude."
"What sayest thou?" cried Selim. "Thou wouldst change the order of
things, the whole course of nature?"
"Nothing can convince me that we follow the course of nature by dying
at sixty or eighty years of age, when men formerly lived hundreds of
years. On the contrary, I am certain that we were created to live
longer, much longer, and I consecrate all my days, my nights, and my
studies to the pursuit of a discovery which is destined to prolong the
existence of mankind, and renew the state of things as they were when
men married at a hundred years of age, and lived to see their sons'
sons grow up and marry in their turn. Why, have I often asked myself,
should our lives be shorter than those of an oak of the forests, of a
serpent, or even of a vulture?"
"If we lived as long as an oak," replied Selim, "the cedars and the
palm trees would still live longer than we."
"Thou dost but jest, but thy jesting is ill-timed; nothing is more
serious than the thought which occupies me. Thou thyself, confess now,
wouldst thou not be enchanted to see suns succeed suns, and to
contemplate for ages to come the wonders of the heavens and the
fecundity of the earth?"
Selim reflected a little, and replied, "Man does not love death, it is
true; nevertheless life is not so desirable as thou wouldst fain have
us believe."
"Then thou desirest not to prolong thy days upon the earth? For
myself, I confess that I desire it greatly; so that besides my days
and my nights, I consecrate all that I glean from learned researches
to the accomplishment of this great end. I am already upon the track.
But unfortunately gold is wanting--this gold which thou despisest, or
knowest not how to employ--this gold would in my hands contribute to
the happiness of future generations. With gold--with gold you can
purchase books of precious value, measure the stars, dig the bowels of
the earth, rend metals from her bosom, decompose substances, in short,
penetrate into every mystery. Yes, gold which heretofore has been
unable to bestow a day, nay an hour upon its possessor, gold in my
hands would accomplish a wondrous discovery. I should certainly not
keep the secret for myself alone, and I should share it first of all
with the man whose wealth had helped me to the means of obtaining it."
"But shouldst thou discover the means of prolonging my life for many
centuries, I should not then be rich enough to give away half of my
fortune."
"What!" cried the physician of Tunis, "is not life preferable to all
the riches in the world? and if at this moment it were said to thee,
'thou shalt die, or give up the whole of thy possessions,' wouldst
thou not readily yield them to avoid the thrust of a yataghan, or the
discharge of a gun in thy breast?"
"Thou puzzlest me, but I think that in such a case I should give up my
property to preserve my life."
"Thou seest then that life is dear, even to the poor. Why not
therefore endeavour to prolong thine own? Even if my profound science
did not succeed, thou wouldst still be rich enough to enjoy an
existence of the shorter duration."
Listening thus to the learned physician, Selim fell by degrees into a
profound reverie, and the Tunisian, instead of continuing his
discourse, gave himself up to meditation also; so that both these two
men became absorbed in their own dreams in presence of each other, but
without communicating their ideas, and Allah alone knows of what they
were thinking.
After long and silent reflection, Selim said to Hussein Muley, "Before
seeing thee I had intended to bestow while yet alive one-half of my
fortune in making others happy. It will, I think, be no change of
purpose, if I aid thee in pursuing those learned researches which tend
to prolong the life of man. For which reason, Hussein Muley, I propose
at once to present thee with the gold of which thou hast need. Come
with me."
The Tunisian, appearing more astonished than rejoiced at these words,
gravely arose, followed Selim into another apartment in the house, and
received from him a little casket filled with pieces of gold.
"Employ this wisely," said Selim, "and communicate to me the result of
thy labour."
"I will not fail to do so," replied Hussein Muley. And clasping the
precious casket to his breast, he exclaimed, "Here then is the means
of satisfying my thirst for knowledge, of surmounting all obstacles,
of snatching from the past the secret which shall add hundreds of
years to the existence of man, and prolong his days to the space of
those of his fathers. Selim," added he, "thou dost a meritorious
action in giving me this. I need not thank thee, because I am going to
work for thee as for myself; nevertheless I do thank thee, and with my
whole heart."
Having said these words the learned physician withdrew gravely, and
with an air of deep abstraction.
Selim was not less preoccupied. Left to himself, he meditated long and
profoundly on long and short lives, and on the prodigies accomplished
by science, and he ended by asking himself whether he should confide
to the sage mufti, whom he was soon about to see again, what he had
done for Hussein Muley, and his hope of beholding the existence of the
human species prolonged to an almost indefinite period. His final
resolution was to admit no one to his confidence in the matter, but to
await in silence the marvellous discovery of his new friend Hussein
Muley, the physician of Tunis.
Several months passed by without the reappearance of the latter, but
when at length he returned to Boudjareah he was yellower, leaner, and
more attenuated even than a man who had crossed on foot the mighty
desert of Sahara. His limbs, in fact, could scarcely support his
trembling frame.
"Well," said Selim, "what has befallen thee? art thou sick, or dost
thou return to me perishing of hunger?"
"No, but I have travelled night and day beneath the pale light of the
stars, and the burning rays of the sun, and have often forgotten to
take necessary sustenance, so deeply was I absorbed in my studies."
"Well, and the result?"
"Alas! I have not yet succeeded as I could desire. Thus far have I
attained only, that I have secured the power of prolonging our days
fifty years."
Having uttered these words, Hussein Muley sorrowfully clasped his
withered hands upon his breast, and then added:
"I know that such a discovery would afford intense joy to any other
but myself, but it is far from satisfying me. To live fifty years
longer than usual, what is that?"
"It is something, nevertheless," replied Selim, "and wilt thou tell me
what is necessary to be done, in order to add fifty years to one's
existence?"
"Will I tell thee?" cried the Tunisian; "I am come expressly for that
purpose, and to give thee this powder. It must be taken every morning
fasting, for one year, three months, a week, and a day, without fail."
"I must write down these directions," said Selim.
He wrote them down at once, and then asked, "Dost thou not think thou
shouldst rest satisfied with thy discovery, and begin to live well,
and sleep well, in order to enjoy the remaining years of thy life?"
"I have no desire to repose yet from my labours. Of what account are
fifty years added to sixty or eighty, soon to be over for me? No, no,
I would live two centuries at the least, to enjoy the fruits of my
toil, and make the fortunes of my children, and my children's
children. For thou dost not imagine we shall at first give to every
one for nothing this magnificent secret, which has cost us so much. It
is this secret which will procure us the means of living in splendour
to the end of our days. Thou canst, for heavy sums of money, dispose
of the powder which I shall have composed to whomsoever thou pleasest,
while I on my part equally will part with it for gold; and when at
length we die, surfeited with life, we will leave our secret to the
multitude that survives us."
"This arrangement seems to me just, and well conceived. Nevertheless,
I desire not to sell the powder, but may I bestow it, and at once,
upon one or two men whom I esteem highly?"
"No, let us not yet draw attention to our happy fortune; let us wait
until my discovery shall be completely perfected."
"Agreed; but I lament to see thee yellow, thin, and attenuated, as
thou art."