contrary to the prognostics of the physicians, it stopped the progress of
the plague. I recovered, and found my purse much lightened by my
illness. I divided the remainder of my money with my humane nurse, and
sent her out into the city to inquire how matters were going on.

"She brought me word that the fury of the plague had much abated, but
that she had met several funerals, and that she had heard many of the
merchants cursing the folly of Murad the Unlucky, who, as they said, had
brought all this calamity upon the inhabitants of Cairo. Even fools,
they say, learn by experience. I took care to burn the bed on which I
had lain and the clothes I had worn; I concealed my real name, which I
knew would inspire detestation, and gained admittance, with a crowd of
other poor wretches, into a lazaretto, where I performed quarantine and
offered up prayers daily for the sick.

"When I thought it was impossible I could spread the infection, I took my
passage home. I was eager to get away from Grand Cairo, where I knew I
was an object of execration. I had a strange fancy haunting my mind; I
imagined that all my misfortunes, since I left Constantinople, had arisen
from my neglect of the talisman upon the beautiful china vase. I dreamed
three times, when I was recovering from the plague, that a genius
appeared to me, and said, in a reproachful tone, 'Murad, where is the
vase that was entrusted to thy care?'

"This dream operated strongly upon my imagination. As soon as we arrived
at Constantinople, which we did, to my great surprise, without meeting
with any untoward accidents, I went in search of my brother Saladin to
inquire for my vase. He no longer lived in the house in which I left
him, and I began to be apprehensive that he was dead, but a porter,
hearing my inquiries, exclaimed, 'Who is there in Constantinople that is