earching for him these seven months."

The wretched sorcerer was really an object of pity. The terror caused
by the second apparition, and by this unexpected arrest, had together
overpowered his senses. Helpless as a child, he suffered himself to be
bound without resistance. His eyes were wide open and immovable; his
face was pale as death; his lips quivered convulsively, but he was
unable to utter a sound. Every moment we expected he would fall into a
fit. The prince was moved by the situation in which he saw him. He
undertook to procure his discharge from the leader of the police, to
whom he discovered his rank. "Do you know, gracious prince," said the
officer, "for whom your highness is so generously interceding? The
juggling tricks by which he endeavored to deceive you are the least of
his crimes. We have secured his accomplices; they depose terrible facts
against him. He may think himself fortunate if he is only punished with
the galleys."

In the meantime we saw the innkeeper and his family led bound through
the yard. "This man, too?" said the prince; "and what is his crime?"

"He was his comrade and accomplice," answered the officer. "He assisted
him in his deceptions and robberies, and shared the booty with him.
Your highness shall be convinced of it presently. Search the house,"
continued he, turning to his followers, "and bring me immediate notice
of what you find."

The prince looked around for the Armenian, but he had disappeared. In
the confusion occasioned by the arrival of the watch he had found means
to steal away unperceived. The prince was inconsolable; he declared he
would send all his servants, and would himself go in search of this
mysterious man; and he wished me to go with him. I hastened to the
window; the house was surrounded by a great number of idlers, whom the
account of this event had attracted to the spot. It was impossible to
get through the crowd. I represented this to the prince. "If," said I,
"it is the Armenian's intention to conceal himself from us, he is
doubtless better acquainted with the intricacies of the place than we,
and all our inquiries would prove fruitless. Let us rather remain here
a little longer, gracious prince," added I. "This officer, to whom, if
I observed right, he discovered himself, may perhaps give us some
information respecting him."

We now for the first time recollected that we were still undressed.
We hastened to the other pavilion and put on our clothe