"Oh, Prince of the Faithful, whose life may Allah prolong, the story of
the life of your slave, who is incapable of even thinking of aught that
should touch the honour of your Majesty, is very full of dangers and
escapes.
"At the age of seven years I was taken by my uncle, Amanoolla, to the
country of the Emperor of the Indies, from which I have but just
returned.
"My uncle was a worker in gold and silver, and so expert at his craft
that he never lacked work, and was enabled, not only to support his
family with ease, but to save money. He had a son named Omeda, and as
we grew up, Amanoolla taught us both the art of fashioning all kinds of
ornaments in the precious metals. But beside his son Omeda, my uncle
had also a daughter, Bebee, who was one of the most beautiful girls man
can possibly imagine. From the time we were all children together I
had entertained the hope or dream of one day making her my wife.
Therefore, when I was already seventeen years of age and a good
workman, I ventured to ask my uncle to give me Bebee, my cousin, for my
wife. But my uncle was very wroth, and said--
"'My daughter, who is fourteen, and more beautiful than any young girl
for fifty miles round, may expect to be the wife of a rajah or even of
a sovereign prince, and not of a young workman without ten pieces of
silver.'
"With that, Amanoolla, fearing to have me any longer so near his
daughter, bade me begone and earn my living by my craft in some other
part of the country.
"I departed, therefore, and leaving with sorrow my uncle and Omeda, and
especially the neighbourhood of the charming Bebee, I travelled until I
came to a town twenty days' journey from them, and there I remained
working at my trade, very taciturn, very lonely, and unable to forget
my disappointment.
"In the town in which I had settled there lived a wealthy Rajah, Gholab
Khan, for whom I often made various ornaments both of gold and of
silver.
"Thus it came to pass that Sojah, his principal wife, saw me through a
lattice window on several occasions when I carried the ornaments I had
made to the palace of the Rajah. And, unhappily, she took a most
violent fancy to me.
"One day, as I sat at my work, a female slave entered, and said--
"'Hunoman, happy man that you are, listen to me. My mistress, who is
no other than Sojah, the wife of Gholab Khan himself, has seen you and
likes you. She has sent me, therefore, to say, to-morrow morning about
the time of morning prayer two slaves will come to you bringing with
them a large basket with hangings for one of the rooms in the palace.
Get into the basket and fear nothing, for the slaves will bring you to
me.'
"When the messenger from Sojah had gone I could do no more work that
day for thinking of the adventure which awaited me on the morrow. I
went out and wandered about the town until late, but even when at last
I lay down for a long time I could get no sleep. However, when it
became light I at last fell asleep, and so heavily that it was late
when I woke.
"I was scarcely dressed, and it was nearly time to expect the slaves of
Sojah with the big basket, when two slaves sent by the Rajah himself
appeared, and saying their master wanted me, hurried me off to the
palace. I was greatly frightened from apprehension that the Rajah had
by some means discovered his wife's intention and was taking summary
measures to defeat it. To my great relief, instead of being taken
before the Rajah or ordered forthwith to execution, I was shown into a
small room in which I sometimes worked, and told immediately to
complete some repairs for some of the ladies of the household.
"At the time I congratulated myself that matters were no worse, but
they were bad enough for me as the sequel proved. For when Sojah's two
slaves got to the palace and informed their mistress that they had
called for me as arranged, but that they could not find me, she became
as furious as a tigress baulked of her prey. She did not doubt that I
had slighted her and kept out of the way on purpose to avoid her
messengers. She determined to be revenged.
"A few days afterwards, therefore, her two slaves with the large basket
suddenly appeared at my shop, and seizing me, they instantly gagged me,
bound me, threw me into the basket, and carried me off to their
mistress.
"The two slaves knocked at a little door leading to a small garden
attached to the harem of the Rajah's palace; and taking the basket into
a secluded part of the garden they set it down, and lifting me out they
laid me gagged and bound as I was upon the grass. They then retired;
and Sojah, who had been watching all they did through a lattice, now
came to me, and began to upbraid me as I lay gagged and helpless on the
ground.
"'Wretch,' she said, 'who hast dared to slight a woman who deigned to
condescend to take notice of so mean a thing as thou art, unworthy of
the form of a man; I will instantly deprive thee of it! So saying, she
took a handful of dust and, pronouncing over it the words: 'Kahoothie
Kaventho,' she threw it upon me, exclaiming, 'Quit the shape of man and
take that of a horse!'
"Immediately I was changed into the animal she mentioned, and calling
her slaves, she commanded them to take me at once to the stable and
there to secure me. And this cruel and vindictive woman, not content
with having deprived me of human form and converted me into a
four-footed dumb creature, would frequently come into the stable where
I was, and after ordering her slaves to secure me firmly would beat me
savagely, uttering all the time torrents of vituperation and abuse.
"For some months I had to endure all the miseries which the malignant
humour of Sojah could inflict upon me. At length, seizing the first
opportunity which offered for making my escape, I managed to throw the
slave who was riding me, and fled with the speed of the wind. After
galloping for many coss, I became completely exhausted, and lay down in
an open field near the roadside to rest.
"I had not lain there many minutes, and was still panting and blown,
when I saw a party of rough-looking men advancing. Two of them were
mounted, and these rushing upon me before I could rise and make off,
they easily secured me and took me along with them. The two mounted
men having sold me to one of those on foot, soon afterwards left us,
and I proceeded in company with the others, carrying my new master on
my back.
"I soon discovered that the men who had seized me, and who took me home
with them to their village, formed part of a gang belonging to a
religious sect known in some parts of the country by the name of Thugs
or deceivers, and in other parts of the country by the name of
Phansigars or stranglers. I had thus an opportunity, such as no man in
human form could have, of observing their idolatrous religion and
revolting practices. These wretches worship a patron goddess, the
deity of destruction, called Kalee. Their trade from father to son for
generations is murder and robbery, and they believe that their goddess,
to whom they offer part of their plunder, surrenders into their hands
every one of their unhappy victims.
"I had not long been with them before a day was appointed for the
celebration of one of their religious, or rather superstitious, rites.
This was the consecration of the holy pickaxe, the implement always
used by these men for burying those whom they have slain. A fakir,
versed in all the learning of the Thugs, was seated, when the
auspicious day arrived, with his face turned to the west, and placed
the pickaxe in a brass dish which was set before him. In this he
proceeded to wash the axe, with four solemn and several washings.
First, in water; secondly, in a mixture of sugar and water; thirdly, in
sour milk; and fourthly, in spirit. These four ablutions being
finished, the fakir replaced in the brass dish the pickaxe together
with a cocoa-nut, some cloves, white sandal-wood, and sugar. Then
kindling a fire of dried cow-dung and mango-wood, the fakir taking the
pickaxe, and holding it in both hands, passed it seven times through
the fire.
"The pickaxe, being now duly consecrated, was taken by Jowahir, my
master, who, holding it by the point, said, 'Thugs, shall I strike?'
then as they said, 'Strike, Jemadar!' he struck the cocoa-nut with the
butt end of the pickaxe and broke the nut in pieces. This was hailed
by all as a propitious omen from the great Bhowanee or goddess, and a
part of the nut having been burnt in the fire, portions of the rest of
it were given to all the men present, and the rite was at an end.
"The pickaxe having thus been prepared, it only remained to make use of
it; and accordingly, on the following day in the morning, Jowahir as
their leader, holding the pickaxe to his breast by the left hand, and a
brass jug filled with water in his right hand, moved slowly in the
direction indicated by the fakir, to a field outside the village, and
there standing with his gang assembled about him, he lifted his eyes
toward heaven, and said: 'Great Goddess, universal mother! if this our
meditated expedition be fitting in thy sight, vouchsafe us help, and
the signs of thy approbation.' All present repeated this prayer after
Jowahir, and then waited for the omens or auspices.
"Within a quarter of an hour the omen on the left hand, which must be
first heard, and which they term Pilhaoo, was vouchsafed to them. An
ass brayed, which they took to be a very good omen. And when very soon
afterwards another ass brayed upon the right hand, furnishing them with
Thibaoo, or the omen on the right hand, their satisfaction was very
great, for they said openly that after omens so favourable success was
absolutely assured.
"Jowahir now put down the jug containing water upon the ground, and
sitting down beside it remained in that posture, and with his face
turned in the direction in which they were to proceed, for the space of
seven hours, during which time the others made all things ready for the
journey.
"When at length they started Jowahir mounted on my back, and I being
the only horse they had, the rest of the party walked.
"For two days they proceeded on their journey without meeting any
travellers; and on the second day, therefore, they detached two of the
gang, Bular and Khosala, to act as their Bykureea or spies, to
endeavour to discover any parties of travellers who might be staying at
the serais or inns, or traversing the roads in that neighbourhood.
"In the afternoon the spies returned, and reported that in a serai not
far off they had found a party of three travellers who were resting,
and proposed to start the next morning at daybreak to proceed on their
journey along the highroad to the north.
"Upon receiving this intelligence, Jowahir himself and Oozerah, another
of the band, went forward to the serai to act the part of Sothas or
inveiglers, and try and persuade the travellers to leave the high-road
and take some other road leading through the jungle, and more suited to
the Thugs' atrocious designs.
"When we arrived at the serai Jowahir saluted the travellers, one of
whom was an old man, while the other two were men in the prime of life.
"Jowahir, after conversing some time upon indifferent subjects, said,
that he was journeying northwards, and that he had intended to have
proceeded along the direct road to Oulinpore, the next large town; but
that he had been told by some merchants who had just come southwards by
that road, that provisions were so dear and water so scarce, that he
had determined to make a slight detour to avoid that part of the road.
The three merchants, who had themselves intended to proceed by the
direct road to Oulinpore, were naturally interested in Jowahir's
decision, and began to discuss warmly the merits of the two routes.
"As they were talking the rest of the gang made their appearance, and
acted as though entire strangers to Jowahir and Oozerah as well as the
others. The two younger travellers agreed with Jowahir that it would
be wiser to avoid the direct road to Oulinpore; but the old man was for
keeping to that road as they had intended to do. When the rest of the
gang arrived, they were informed of the question in dispute, and they
at first supported the old man's view energetically, and declared that
they were resolved like him to keep to the direct road.
"At length, however, after much talking they affected to give in and to
become convinced by Jowahir's representations and arguments. Seeing
them all now united against him, the old man could hold out no longer,
and submitted his judgment to that of the others. It was late before
this agreement was arrived at, and all lay down to rest, promising to
start together at daybreak next morning.
"Very early indeed, and long before daybreak, Jowahir roused the whole
party, and persuading them that being tired they had overslept
themselves, and that the day was just about to break, he got them at
once on the way.
"He confessed after a while that he must have been in error, and that
it was really earlier than he had supposed. 'No matter,' said he, 'we
shall have made all the better progress by the time the sun has risen.'
"In fact, before the sun was hot upon them, they had got far into the
jungle, and were at a great distance from any other human beings.
"At length, when they approached the half-dried-up bed of a stream
through which they must ford, Jowahir proposed that they should first
sit down by the margin and rest and eat before proceeding further.
This proposal was readily agreed to by all. But by the side of each of
the three hapless and unsuspicious travellers, there sat down in
apparent amity and good fellowship two members of the gang, one of whom
was really the Ghumgeea or holder of hands, while the other was the
Phansigar or strangler.
"Suddenly, and without affording the poor wretches a moment's warning,
on a sign from Jowahir, the holder of hands seized on the man with whom
he was amicably conversing, and the strangler, passing the roomal round
his neck with the speed of lightning, strangled him in an instant."
"What," asked the Caliph, "is a roomal?"
"It is," replied Hunoman, "simply a strip of cloth. Although the
stranglers are termed Phansigars, from phansee, a noose of cord, yet in
practice they scarcely ever use a cord, which if it were found upon
them would at once betray and convict them; they employ instead, to
effect their murderous purpose, the roomal, a strip of cloth which
appears innocent and harmless enough--it might be a turban or a waist
cloth--but which in their expert and practised hands is equally
effectual.
"After killing the travellers, stripping them, and burying the bodies,
the murderers and thieves divided the few coins and other property
found upon them. But when making this division in certain proportions
according to their usage, these strange monsters did not neglect to set
apart a small sum as an offering to Kalee their goddess; and when,
after this and several other murders, all characterized by similar
features of treachery and baseness, they returned to their village,
they proceeded at once to celebrate Tapoonee, or a solemn rite of their
most vile idolatry.
"A cloth was spread upon a clean spot of ground. Upon this cloth was
placed the consecrated pickaxe and a piece of silver as an offering to
the goddess. On the cloth Jowahir took his place, and seated with him
also on the cloth were seven Phansigars or stranglers, no Ghumgeea, or
any member of the gang of a grade inferior to an actual and experienced
strangler, being admitted to sit on the cloth.
"Jowahir then took some goor or sugar, which had been purchased with
that part of the plunder set apart for the goddess, and placed it
reverently in a hole in the ground. Having so done, he clasped his
hands devoutly and prayed as follows: 'Great Goddess, we pray thee to
grant us plunder, as thou hast to our fathers before us, and fulfil our
desires.'
"All repeated this prayer, and a portion of the goor or sacred sugar
having been given to each of those who sat on the cloth, Jowahir gave
the signal for strangling, as though a murder were about to be
committed, upon which they eat in solemn silence the portions of goor
they had received, washing it down with a draught of water. Thus ended
the Tapoonee or sacred feast.
"I will not weary and disgust your Majesty by relating all the series
of monotonous crimes or superstitious observances which I saw during
the two years I remained with these people.
"When that period had elapsed, and while engaged in prosecuting the
third expedition which they had undertaken since I had been with them,
a circumstance occurred which resulted in freeing me from my miserable
and degraded condition, and restoring me to the form and dignity of a
human being.
"One day, a day ever memorable to me, the spies returned and announced
to Jowahir the Jemadar and our gang of bandits, that they had met
advancing along the road towards our present encampment a party of
travellers whose appearance promised a rich booty. These travellers
consisted of a Rajah, whose name they had ascertained to be Gholab
Khan, who was on a journey accompanied by his wife and about a dozen
servants.
"This news, which powerfully affected me, was the occasion of a vast
deal of discussion and recrimination among the band of Thugs. Some
were for awaiting the arrival of the Rajah, and requesting to be
allowed to travel in his company for the sake of protection, after
which the first favourable opportunity might be taken to murder the
whole party and seize all the money and rich clothes and stores they
would be sure to have with them. As far as numbers were concerned,
this enterprise was quite feasible, for the gang of Jowahir Jemadar, or
our gang, as I may term it, had met with and joined the gang of Ramphul
Jemadar, and together they counted nearly thirty men.
"But the two Jemadars differed entirely as to the course to be pursued.
While Ramphul advocated joining and murdering the Rajah and his party,
Jowahir, on the other hand, contended that as it was absolutely
forbidden by the principles of their religion to kill a woman,
therefore, the wife of the Rajah being with him, the party ought to be
permitted to escape.
"'If once,' he said, 'Phansigars, abandoning their immemorial
traditions, took to killing women, or disregarding omens, what good
luck could they expect, or how could they escape capture and
destruction?'
"The dispute waxed hot, and continued until the spies announced the
near approach of the Rajah and his party, on which they hurriedly
agreed as a compromise that they should join if possible the Rajah's
party, and afterwards either slay or spare them as might be by further
discussion determined.
"Having despatched about half their men in advance, that their numbers
might not appear too formidable and perhaps alarm the travellers, the
two Jemadars waited, in their assumed character of peaceful and timid
merchants, the arrival of Gholab Khan.
"On seeing him they saluted him respectfully, and, professing great
uneasiness concerning the lonely and little-frequented character of
that part of the country which lay immediately before them, they begged
as a great favour to be allowed to join his party.
"To this request Gholab Khan very readily acceded, and the united party
proceeded amicably together, the Rajah and the two Jemadars riding and
conversing with each other, while the rest of the Thugs accompanied and
made themselves very agreeable to the Rajah's followers. The latter
were armed, whereas the peaceful and inoffensive-looking Thugs carried
no weapon, but had with them only the innocent roomal, which they knew
how to wield when the moment should arrive with such swift and fatal
dexterity.
"Now when Sojah, the Rajah's wife, peeping from her palanquin, saw me,
she instantly recognized me, and telling her husband that she had taken
a great fancy to the merchant's horse, because it so much resembled one
she had lost two years previously, she begged him to buy it for her.
"The Rajah, always anxious to oblige his wife, who had great influence
over him, began at once to negotiate with Jowahir. And the latter, who
wished to keep on good terms with his destined victim, was persuaded
very easily to exchange me for another horse offered him by the Rajah
and ten pieces of silver. I thus passed once more into the possession
of the cruel and vindictive Sojah.
"This filled me with despair, and I looked forward with dread to a
repetition of the barbarous treatment I had before endured at her
hands. But time had apparently softened her resentment, and changed
her feelings towards me. Perhaps she thought that the misery I had
undergone during more than two years would render me more complaisant
and ready to yield to her desires; at any rate, she received me with
joy and treated me with kindness, and, taking an opportunity that same
evening to come alone to the place where I was picketed with the other
horses, she stooped down, and taking a handful of dust she threw it
over me, pronouncing the same magical formula as before, and then bade
me leave that form of a horse and resume my own proper shape as a man.
"Immediately the transformation took place. But, well knowing that the
Rajah and his whole party were doomed to almost inevitable destruction
by the large gang of Thugs in whose company they then were, I perceived
that my only chance of escape lay in turning the magical art of this
vile woman against herself. Therefore, no sooner had I resumed my
natural shape, and stood before her once more in the form of a man,
than I bowed low as though to salute her with the greatest deference,
and suddenly seizing a handful of dust I threw it over her, pronounced
the magical words: 'Kahoothie Kaventho,' and said, before she could
recover from her surprise, 'Quit the shape of woman of which you are
unworthy and take that of a mare.' What the nature of the charm might
be, or by the aid of what demon the change took place, I know not; at
any rate the incantation was effectual, and as I pronounced the words,
Sojah disappeared and a beautiful mare stood before me.
"Without the loss of a moment I saddled and bridled her, and rode off,
at first slowly and quietly, but afterwards as fast as possible along
the road we had just come, and in the opposite direction to that which
was to be taken early next morning by the Rajah and my late master,
Jowahir.
"I had been riding for more than an hour, and was still proceeding very
rapidly, when my mare suddenly stumbled and threw me over her head on
to the ground. I fell heavily and must have remained a long time
unconscious, for when I came to myself I found myself lying on a soft
rug in a small apartment in which two other men were sitting. These
men, as I afterwards discovered, were priests of one of the heathen
religions of that country, and the house in which I now lay was close
to the temple containing the idol or image of the god whom they
worshipped. The name of the older of these priests was Soobulda, and
that of the younger, Esuree; and although idolaters, they saved my
life, and showed me as long as I was with them no little kindness.
"They had found me lying senseless on the road, and had carried me to
their house which was close by, and on my recovering consciousness they
invited me to stay for some days until I should desire to resume my
journey. I accepted their invitation all the more gladly because I had
no money and knew not where to go.
"But what chiefly troubled me, as it would have done your Majesty or
any true believer, was to see these men prostrate themselves before the
wooden image which was their idol.
"One night, therefore, while Soobulda and Esuree slept, I went into the
temple and threw down the idol.
"Next morning early, Soobulda came to me and said, 'A great calamity
has befallen us, for the god is wroth, and his image is cast down and
lies upon the floor of the temple.'
"Then I answered, comforting Soobulda, and said, 'It is no matter, only
take the image and put it in its place again, and all will be well.'
"Three times I threw down the image, and three times Soobulda came in
the morning, and told me what had been done. The third time Soobulda
and Esuree came both of them together, and accused me of having thrown
it down.
"Then I said: 'Why, what sort of a feeble creature must this god of
yours be, if these three times I can cast down his image, and he remain
unable to prevent me or to punish me?'
"After that I told them of Allah, the true God, and of Mohammed, the
Prophet of God. And the two priests believed, and left the idol lying
on the ground where I had thrown it down.
"Fearing to remain any longer in that part of the country, Soobulda and
Esuree left their house a few days afterwards, and agreed to go with me
to visit my Uncle Amanoolla, whom I had not seen for a long time, and
whose daughter Bebee I had not forgotten.
"We travelled slowly, stopping from time to time at various towns on
our way, in some of which I got work at my craft, and thus earned money
to help us to continue our journey.
"All this time I told Soobulda and Esuree much concerning the Moslem
faith, and they assumed the garb and practised the ablutions, and
recited the prayers of true believers."
"In that, by Allah, you did right," exclaimed the Caliph, "and I grant
you your life for so doing."
Hunoman bowed and continued:
"At one town where we stayed, it happened that when the morning came on
which we had arranged to depart, I had still some work by me which I
had not finished, and I agreed therefore with Soobulda and Esuree, that
they should start first and proceed leisurely, and that I would hasten
after them and overtake them at their first halting-place.
"This was done, and when soon after midday I came up with them, I
found, that having enjoyed a meal and two hours' rest, they were just
preparing to resume their journey. At the little serai or inn where
they were, they had met with ten other travellers, and the whole party
were now about to set out together.
"Hastily eating some food I had brought with me, I started with the
others, and falling into conversation with our fellow-travellers, we
formed a very sociable gathering.
"But during the afternoon, and when we had been some time in company, I
happened to overhear one of our fellow-travellers say a few words in a
low tone to another, which I instantly recognized as being of the
peculiar dialect used by the Phansigars. We were in the hands of a
party of Thugs, and escape seemed impossible.
"I looked round at my friends, desiring to warn them of our desperate
situation; but even that was not feasible, for each was surrounded by
two or three of the strangers, so that I could say nothing to them
which would not be overheard.
"However, it mattered little, for even had they known of our danger
what could be done? Three men against ten desperate ruffians would
have no chance, and on the least indication of suspicion on our part
they would, I knew, attack and kill us at once, at all hazards. The
only hope remaining for us seemed to me to be that we should meet some
other party of travellers, whose protection we might claim. Of this,
however, there would appear to be but very faint hope indeed.
"Our road passed through a jungle, wild and desolate, where we might
perhaps disturb a tiger, but could hardly expect to come upon a man.
The air was hot and sultry, it seemed to me more oppressive than I had
ever before experienced. Everything around us was still, and as we
trod along the sandy road even our footsteps made scarcely a sound that
could be heard.
"Soobulda and Esuree chatted pleasantly with their companions,
suspecting nothing. As for me, I had become silent and thoughtful, and
prayed inwardly to Allah to deliver us from this danger.
"At length one of those who walked with me, and whom I took to be the
leader of the band, proposed that as I had had no rest and seemed to be
tired, we should halt and rest by the side of a small stream we were
then passing. I perceived at once that we had arrived at the bele, or
place of execution. The Phansigars always send a man on to choose the
bele carefully beforehand. No place could be more suited to their
purpose. It was lonely as a desert; so remote from every human track
or habitation that no shriek of a victim could be heard by any one, and
the loose sand by the margin of the stream would yield readily to the
sacred pickaxe when the roomal had done its fatal work.
"We sat down, and beside each of us three sat three others, two of whom
were the holders of hands, while the third was the Bhurtote or
strangler, as I knew only too well.
"The leader strolled carelessly to and fro, preparing to give the
signal. Already I seemed to feel the pressure of the strip of cloth
about my neck, to anticipate the short and ineffectual struggles of the
unfortunate victims, to feel the kicks of those wretches on my back,
and then in a few moments all would be over.
"At this critical moment, just as the leader paused in his walk and
opened his lips to pronounce the words which would have been the signal
to his followers, and would have sealed our doom--he sneezed. I saw a
look of mingled rage and disgust pass round the party. One of the most
stringent and disabling of all omens had occurred. No Thug would
despatch his victim after such a manifestation of the wrath of the
great Bhowanee. Our lives would be spared, held sacred indeed for this
time, by these ruthless murderers.
"Very shortly afterwards, the gang, on some pretext of having to take
another road, separated from us, and we pursued our way without further
incident to the dwelling of my Uncle Amanoolla.
"Arrived there, I found that my Cousin Bebee had been married some time
since to a rich merchant in the neighbourhood. My uncle received me
gladly, and made my two friends, Soobulda and Esuree, welcome for my
sake, and for the sake of the true faith of Islam which they had
adopted. He had prospered greatly since I left him, and had acquired
much wealth, so that at his death, which happened about six months
after my return, he left me a considerable sum with which to commence
to trade.
"I had, however, a great desire to revisit the land of my birth; I
bought, therefore, many things which would be esteemed rare and
valuable in Bagdad, where about a week ago I arrived safely.
"Of the command I received through my mother from Zobeideh, to appear
before her and relate my adventures, I have already informed your
Majesty, and have now only to await the sentence which the Commander of
the Faithful may see fit to pronounce upon me."
"I have already," said Haroun, "granted you your life because you have
led two men to embrace the true faith of Islam. But moreover, since I
am not used to send away those I pardon with empty hands, I appoint you
Governor of my province of Egypt. Giafer shall immediately prepare the
patent of investiture, and you are to start at once."
Hunoman thanked the Commander of the Faithful for his munificence, and
promised instant obedience to this and every order he should receive.
Thus the Caliph pardoned and rewarded Hunoman, the foster-brother of
his favourite wife, Zobeideh; but perhaps he was not unwilling to
separate them as far as Bagdad is from Cairo.