He even sometimes added reproachfully: "And do you still believe in the authorities?" "A malicious person! A bilious man!" his acquaintances began to say about the fool.--"But what a head!" "And what a tongue!" added others. "Oh, yes; he is talented!" It ended in the publisher of a newspaper proposing to the fool that he should take charge of his critical department. And the fool began to criticise everything and everybody, without making the slightest change in his methods, or in his exclamations. Now he, who formerly shrieked against authorities, is an authority himself,--and the young men worship him and fear him. But what are they to do, poor fellows? Although it is not proper--generally speaking--to worship ... yet in this case, if one does not do it, he will find himself classed among the men who are behind the times! There is a career for fools among cowards. April, 1878. AN ORIENTAL LEGEND Who in Bagdad does not know the great Giaffar, the sun of the universe? One day, many years ago, when he was still a young man, Giaffar was strolling in the suburbs of Bagdad. Suddenly there fell upon his ear a hoarse cry: some one was calling desperately for help. Giaffar was distinguished among the young men of his own age for his good sense and prudence; but he had a compassionate heart, and he trusted to his strength. He ran in the direction of the cry, and beheld a decrepit old man pinned against the wall of the city by two brigands who were robbing him. Giaffar drew his sword and fell upon the malefactors. One he slew, the other he chased away. The old man whom he had liberated fell at his rescuer's feet, and kissing the hem of his garment, exclaimed: "Brave youth, thy magnanimity shall not remain unrewarded. In appearance I am a beggar; but only in appearance. I am not a common man.--Come to-morrow morning early to the chief bazaar; I will await thee there at the fountain--and thou shalt convince thyself as to the justice of my words." Giaffar reflected: "In appearance this man is a beggar, it is true; but all sorts of things happen. Why should not I try the experiment?"--and he answered: "Good, my father, I will go." The old man looked him in the eye and went away. On the following morning, just as day was breaking, Giaffar set out for the bazaar. The old man was already waiting for him, with his elbows leaning on the marble basin of the fountain. Silently he took Giaffar by the hand and led him to a small garden, surrounded on all sides by high walls. In the very centre of this garden, on a green lawn, grew a tree of extraordinary aspect. It resembled a cypress; only its foliage was of azure hue. Three fruits--three apples--hung on the slender up-curving branches. One of medium size was oblong in shape, of a milky-white hue; another was large, round, and bright red; the third was small, wrinkled and yellowish.