you
seen the empress's lap-dog?"

"A small spaniel," said Abner, "that has recently had a litter, with
hanging ears, bushy tail, and lame in the right fore-leg?"

"That's she--her own self!" chorused the slaves. "That's Aline; the
empress went into fits as soon as her pet was missed. Aline, where are
you? What would become of us if we were to return to the harem without
you? Tell us quickly, where did you see her run to?"

"I have not seen any dog, and never knew that my empress--God preserve
her--owned a spaniel!"

The men from the stable and harem grew furious at Abner's insolence, as
they termed it, in making jests over the loss of imperial property; and
did not doubt for a moment that Abner had stolen both dog and horse.
While the others continued the search, the master of the horse and the
chief eunuch seized the Jew, and hurried him, with his half-sly and
half-terrified expression, before the presence of the emperor.

Muley Ismael, as soon as he heard the charge against Abner, sent for
his privy-counsellor, and, in view of the importance of the subject,
presided over the investigation himself. To begin with, fifty lashes on
the soles of the feet were awarded the accused. Abner might whine or
shriek, protest his innocence or promise to tell every thing just as it
had happened, recite passages from the Scripture or from the Talmud; he
might cry: "The displeasure of the king is like the roar of a young
lion, but his mercy is like dew on the grass," or "Let not thy hand
strike when thy eyes and ears are closed." Muley Ismael made a sign to
his slaves, and swore by the beard of the Prophet, and his own, that
the Philistine should pay with his head for the pains of the Prince
Abdallah and the convulsions of the empress, if the runaways were not
restored.

The palace of the emperor was still resounding with the shrieks of the
Jew, as the news was brought that both dog and horse had been found.
Aline was surprised in the company of some pug dogs, quite respectable
curs, but not fit associates for a court lady; while Emir, after tiring
himself out with running, had found the fragrant grass on the green
meadows by the Tara brook suited his taste better than the imperial
oats--like the wearied royal huntsman who, having lost his way on the
chase, forgot all the delicacies of his own table as he ate the black
bread and butter in a peasant's hut.

Muley Ismael now requested of Abner an explanation of his behavior, and