fruit, and others burning
rich odors on a little chafing-dish that stood between them.

"But there are some words to which I never could attach any particular
meaning," proceeded the prince, as the slaves began to retire, "and
three in particular that my attendants cannot satisfy me upon, or are
reluctant to do so."

"What words are those, my prince?" asked the old man. The prince turned
on his elbow to be sure that the last slave had descended the tower
stairs, then replied:

"O man of much knowledge, the words are these--Labor, and Liberty, and
Gold."

"Prince," said the old man, "I do not wonder that it has been hard to
make thee understand the first, the nature of it, and the cause why most
men are born to it; as for the second, it would be treason for thee and
me to do more than whisper it here, and sigh for it when none are
listening; but the third need hardly puzzle thee; thy hookah[4] is
bright with it; all thy jewels are set in it; gold is inlaid in the
ivory of thy bath; thy cup and thy dish are of gold, and golden threads
are wrought into thy raiment."

[Footnote 4: _Hookah_: a kind of pipe for smoking tobacco, used in
Eastern Europe and Asia.]

"That is true," replied the prince, "and if I had not seen and handled
this gold, perhaps I might not find its merits so hard to understand;
but I possess it in abundance, and it does not feed me, nor make music
for me, nor fan me when the sun is hot, nor cause me to sleep when I am
weary; therefore when my slaves have told me how merchants go out and
brave the perilous wind and sea, and live in the unstable ships, and run
risks from shipwreck and pirates, and when, having asked them why they
have done this, they have answered, 'For gold,' I have found it hard to
believe them; and when they have told me how men have lied, and robbed,
and deceived; how they have murdered one another, and leagued together
to depose kings, to oppress provinces, and all for gold; then I have
said to myself, either my slaves have combined to make me believe that
which is not, or this gold must be very different from the yellow stuff
that this coin is made of, this coin which is of no use but to have a
hole pierced through it and hang to my girdle, that it may tinkle when I
walk."

"Notwithstanding this," said the old man, "nothing can be done without
gold; for it is better than bread, and fruit, and music, for it can buy
them all, since all men love it, and have agreed to exchange