“No, no, vizier,” interrupted the king, “I am sure this man, whom you consider as an hypocrite and traitor, is one of the most virtuous and best of men; there is no one in the world whom I regard so much. You know by what remedy, or rather by what miracle, he cured me of my leprosy; and if he had sought my life, why did he thus save it. Cease then from endeavouring to instil unjust suspicions, for instead of listening to them, I now inform you, that from this very day I bestow upon him a pension of one thousand sequins a month, for the rest of his life. And were I to share all my riches, and even my kingdoms with him, I could never sufficiently repay what he has done for me. I see what it is; his virtue excites your envy; but do not suppose that I shall suffer myself to be prejudiced against him unjustly. I well remember what a vizier said to king Sindbad, his master, to prevent his giving orders for the death of his son.” This very much excited the curiosity of the vizier. “I beg your majesty will pardon me, if I have the boldness to ask you what it was that the vizier of king Sindbad said to his master, in order to avert the death of his son.” The Greek king had the complaisance to satisfy him. “This vizier,” added he, “after having represented to king Sindbad, that he ought to hesitate to do a thing which was founded on the suggestion of a mother-in-law, for fear she should repent, related the following story.” THE HISTORY OF THE HUSBAND AND THE PARROT. There lived once a good man who had a beautiful wife, of whom he was so passionately fond, that he could scarcely bear to have her out of his sight. One day when some particular business obliged him to leave her, he went to a place where they sold all sorts of birds; he purchased a parrot, which was not only highly accomplished in the art of talking, but also possessed the rare gift of telling every thing that was done in its presence. The husband took it home in a cage to his wife, and begged of her to keep it in her chamber, and take great care of it during his absence; after this he set out on his journey.