favourite opinion, that some were born to good and some to evil fortune.
I became almost as careless as my companions, from following the same
course of reasoning. 'It is not,' thought I, 'in the power of human
prudence to avert the stroke of destiny. I shall perhaps die to-morrow;
let me therefore enjoy to-day.'

"I now made it my study every day to procure as much amusement as
possible. My poverty, as you will imagine, restricted me from indulgence
and excess, but I soon found means to spend what did not actually belong
to me. There were certain Jews who were followers of the camp, and who,
calculating on the probability of victory for our troops, advanced money
to the soldiers, for which they engaged to pay these usurers exorbitant
interest. The Jew to whom I applied traded with me also, upon the belief
that my brother Saladin, with whose character and circumstances he was
acquainted, would pay my debts if I should fall. With the money I raised
from the Jew I continually bought coffee and opium, of which I grew
immoderately fond. In the delirium it created I forgot all my
misfortunes, all fear of the future.

"One day, when I had raised my spirits by an unusual quantity of opium, I
was strolling through the camp, sometimes singing, sometimes dancing,
like a madman, and repeating that I was not now Murad the Unlucky. Whilst
these words were on my lips, a friendly spectator, who was in possession
of his sober senses, caught me by the arm, and attempted to drag me from
the place where I was exposing myself. 'Do you not see,' said he, 'those
soldiers, who are firing at a mark? I saw one of them, just now,
deliberately taking aim at your turban; and observe, he is now reloading
his piece.' My ill luck prevailed even at this instant--the only instant
in my life when I defied its power. I struggled with my adviser,
repeating, 'I am not the wretch you take me for; I am not Murad the