The Jewish doctor approving the proposed expedient, his wife and he took the little hunch-back up to the roof of the house; and, clapping ropes under his arm-pits, let him down the chimney into the purveyor’s chamber so softly and dexterously, that he stood upright against the wall, as if he had been alive. When they found he had reached the bottom, they pulled up the ropes, and left the corpse in that posture. They were scarce got down into their chamber, when the purveyor went into his, being just come from a wedding-feast, with a lantern in his hand. He was greatly surprised when, by the light of his lantern, he descried a man standing upright in his chimney; but being naturally a stout man, and apprehending it was a thief, he took up a good stick, and making straight up to the hunch-back, Ah, said he, I thought it was the rats and mice that eat my butter and tallow, and it is you come down the chimney to rob me! But I think you will not come here again upon this errand. This said, he falls upon the man, and gives him many strokes with his stick. The corpse fell down flat on the ground, and the purveyor redoubled his blows; but, observing the body not to move, he stood to consider a little, and then, perceiving it was a dead corpse, fear succeeded his anger. Wretched man that I am, said he, what have I done! I have killed a man! Alas! I have carried my revenge too far. Good God, unless thou pity me, my life is gone! Cursed, ten thousand times accursed, be the fat and the oil that gave occasion to this my commission of such a criminal action! He stood pale and thunderstruck: he thought he saw the officers already come to drag him to condign punishment, and could not tell what resolution to take. [Illustration: HUNCHBACK AND THE SULTAN’S PURVEYOR.] The sultan of Casgar’s purveyor had never noticed the little man’s hump-back when he was beating him; but as soon as he perceived it, he threw out a thousand imprecations against him. Ah, you cursed hunch-back, cried he, you crooked son of a bitch! would to God you had robbed me of all my fat, and I had not found you here! I had not then been so much perplexed for the sake of you and your vile hunch. Oh! ye stars that twinkle in the heavens, give light to none but me in this dangerous juncture. As soon as he had uttered these words, he took the crooked corpse upon his shoulders, and carried him out of doors to the end of the street, where he set him upright, resting against a shop, and so trudged home again, without looking behind him.