enge them. But I place myself in your hands, and
will follow your counsel.'

'Fate will favour us, I am sure,' said the Bassa, 'for this very night I
expect to secure both the silver and the gold watch. So send at once and
pray Zelida to join us.'

A rustling of silken stuffs drew their eyes to the door, and Ibrahim and
Hassan, whose daily penance had by this time been performed, entered
to embrace their brother. Neangir and Hassan, who had also drunk of the
elixir of love, could think of nothing but the beautiful ladies who had
captured their hearts, while the spirits of Ibrahim had been cheered by
the news that the daughter of Moizes hoped to find in the Book of Spells
some charm to deliver him from collecting the magic beads.

It was some hours later that Sumi returned, bringing with her the sacred
book.

'See,' she said, beckoning to Hassan, 'your destiny is written here.'
And Hassan stooped and read these words in Hebrew. 'His right hand has
become black as ebony from touching the fat of an impure animal, and
will remain so till the last of its race is drowned in the sea.'

'Alas!' sighed the unfortunate youth. 'It now comes back to my memory.
One day the slave of Zambac was making a cake. She warned me not to
touch, as the cake was mixed with lard, but I did not heed her, and in
an instant my hand became the ebony that it now is.'

'Holy dervish!' exclaimed the Bassa, 'how true were your words! My son
has neglected the advice you gave him on presenting him the bracelet,
and he has been severely punished. But tell me, O wise Sumi, where I can
find the last of the accursed race who has brought this doom on my son?'

'It is written here,' replied Sumi, turning over some leaves. 'The
little black pig is in the pink bag carried by the two Circassians.'

When he read this the Bassa sank on his cushions in despair.

'Ah,' he said, 'that is the bag that was offered me this morning for
three hundred sequins. Those must be the women who caused Izif and
Izouf to dance, and took from them the two talismans of the daughters of
Siroco. They only can break the spell that has been cast on us. Let them
be found and I will gladly give them the half of my possessions. Idiot
that I was to send them away!'

While the Bassa was bewailing his folly, Ibrahim in his turn had opened
the book, and blushed deeply as he read the words: 'The chaplet of beads
has been defiled by the game of "Odd and Even." Its owner has tried to
chea