“Without stands my cousin, Kalum-Bek, a well-known merchant of the Bazaar. He has a curious affair with a man from Balsora, whose son was Kalum’s servant, but who robbed him and ran off, no one knows whither. And now the father demands his son from Kalum, who cannot produce him. And Kalum begs that you should, in virtue of your wisdom and great learning, decide between him and the man from Balsora.” “I will judge between them,” replied Harun. “Let your cousin and his adversary appear in the Hall of Justice in half an hour’s time.” [Illustration: _A crier was going through the Bazaar._ (P. 322.)] When Messour had thanked the Caliph and withdrawn, Harun said: “It is your father, Said, and as I fortunately know the whole truth of the case I will give judgment like Solomon. You shall conceal yourself behind the curtains of my throne until I call you, and you, Grand Vizier, send at once for the wicked and all too hasty police officer. I shall need him as a witness.” Both did as they were requested. Said’s heart beat quickly when he saw his father’s pale and careworn face and noticed the tottering steps with which he entered the Justice Hall but Kalum-Bek’s confident smile, as he whispered to his cousin the Chamberlain, enraged him so that he could scarcely restrain himself from rushing out and giving him a good beating, for he owed the greater number of his sufferings to this wicked man. The Hall was crowded with people who wished to hear the Caliph pronounce justice, and as soon as the ruler of Bagdad had taken his seat on the throne the Grand Vizier commanded silence and then asked who it was that appeared as complainant. Kalum-Bek stepped forward with a bold look on his face and said: “Some days ago a crier was going through the Bazaar offering a purse of gold for news of Said of Balsora. As this Said had been in my employ I said, ‘Here, friend, I can earn your purse of gold.’ Then this man, who is so hostile towards me now, came to me in a friendly fashion and asked what I knew. I replied, ‘You are Benezar his father?’ and as he joyfully agreed, I went on to tell him how I had found Said in the desert, and saved him and taken care of him and brought him to Bagdad. In the joy of his heart he gave me the purse of gold, but the foolish man, when I went on to tell him how his son had served me and how he had run off with my money, would not believe me and demanded both his money and his son; neither could I give him, for the money belonged to me in payment of the news I had given him, and his worthless son I cannot give him back.” Next Benezar spoke, defending his son and saying that he was incapable of stealing, being of a noble and virtuous mind, and he begged the Caliph to enquire deeply into the matter. “I hope you did your duty and gave information of the theft, Kalum-Bek?” said the Caliph. “Certainly!” he replied, smiling, “I took him before the magistrate.”