“Let the magistrate be called,” said the Caliph, and to everyone’s surprise he appeared immediately. The Caliph asked him if he remembered the affair, and he assured him he did. “Did you examine the young man and did he acknowledge the theft?” asked Harun. “No, he was most obstinate and would confess to none but you!” replied the magistrate. “But I do not remember having seen him,” said the Caliph. “No, indeed,” answered the magistrate. “I might take up too much of your time if I sent you every vagabond who wishes to speak with you.” “You know that my ear is open to all,” answered Harun. “But perhaps the proofs of the theft were so clear that you did not think it necessary to bring him to me. You had doubtless witnesses, Kalum, to prove that the money really was yours?” “Witnesses?” he asked, turning pale, “no I had no witness, for you know, Ruler of the Faithful, that one piece of gold is exactly like another, so how could I bring witnesses to prove that these actual pieces were missing from my money chest?” “Then how did you know that that particular sum of money belonged to you?” asked the Caliph. “On account of the purse they were in,” said Kalum. “Have you got the purse here?” he enquired further. “Here it is,” said the merchant, and taking out a purse he handed it to the Grand Vizier that he might give it to the Caliph. But the Vizier cried out in feigned astonishment, “By the beard of the Prophet! The purse is yours? You dog! The purse belonged to me and I gave it filled with a hundred gold pieces to a brave young man who rescued me from a great danger.” “Can you swear to that?” asked the Caliph. “I am perfectly certain,” replied the Vizier, “my daughter worked it for me.” “Ah, you have received false information, magistrate,” said the Caliph. “Why did you believe the purse belonged to Kalum?” “He swore it was his,” said the magistrate anxiously. “And so you swore falsely?” thundered the Caliph to the merchant, who stood pale and trembling before him. “Allah! Allah!” cried he. “Of course I do not wish to say anything against the Grand Vizier, but the purse is really mine and the good-for-nothing Said stole it. I would give a thousand gold pieces if he were here on the spot.” “What did you do with this Said then?” asked the Caliph. “Where must we send to bring him here?” “I sent him to a desert island,” said the magistrate. “Oh! Said, my son, my son!” cried the unhappy father. “Then he confessed his crime?” asked the Caliph. The magistrate turned pale, and said unsteadily, “If I remember rightly he did in the end.” “Then you are not quite certain?” the Caliph went on in severe tones. “Very well, then we will ask him himself. Said, stand forth, and you, Kalum-Bek, pay me at once a thousand gold pieces because he is here on the spot.” Kalum and the magistrate thought it must be a ghost. They fell to their knees crying, “Mercy, mercy.” Benezar was half fainting with joy and fell into the arms of his lost son.