bulk and
landing cargo whilst I stood by, taking written note of them. They were
long in bringing the goods ashore, so I asked the master, "Is there
aught left in thy ship?" and he answered, "O my lord, there are divers
bales of merchandise in the hold, whose owner was drowned from amongst
us at one of the islands on our course; so his goods remained in our
charge by way of trust, and we propose to sell them and note their
price, that we may convey it to his people in the city of Baghdad, the
Home of Peace." "What was the merchant's name?" quoth I, and quoth he,
"Sindbad the Seaman"; whereupon I straitly considered him and knowing
him, cried out to him with a great cry, saying, "O captain, I am that
Sindbad the Seaman who traveled with other merchants; and when the fish
heaved and thou calledst to us, some saved themselves and others sank, I
being one of them. But Allah Almighty threw in my way a great tub of
wood, of those the crew had used to wash withal, and the winds and waves
carried me to this island, where by Allah's grace I fell in with King
Mihrjan's grooms and they brought me hither to the King their master.
When I told him my story he entreated me with favor and made me his
harbor-master, and I have prospered in his service and found acceptance
with him. These bales, therefore, are mine, the goods which God hath
given me--"

And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted
say.

NOW WHEN IT WAS THE FIVE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SECOND NIGHT,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Sindbad
the Seaman said to the captain, "These bales are mine, the goods which
Allah hath given me," the other exclaimed, "There is no Majesty and
there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Verily, there
is neither conscience nor good faith left among men!" Said I, "O Rais,
what mean these words, seeing that I have told thee my case?" And he
answered, "Because thou heardest me say that I had with me goods whose
owner was drowned, thou thinkest to take them without right; but this is
forbidden by law to thee, for we saw him drown before our eyes, together
with many other passengers, nor was one of them saved. So how canst thou
pretend that thou art the owner of the goods?" "O captain," said I,
"listen to my story and give heed to my words, and my truth will be
manifest to thee; for lying and leasing are the letter-marks of the
hypocrites." Then I recounted to him all that