Murad recovered his spirits upon this. "Brother," said he, "I comfort
myself for being Murad the Unlucky when I reflect that you are Saladin
the Lucky. See, gentlemen," continued he, turning to the pretended
merchants, "scarcely has this most fortunate of men been five minutes in
company before he gives a happy turn to affairs. His presence inspires
joy: I observe your countenances, which had been saddened by my dismal
history, have brightened up since he has made his appearance. Brother, I
wish you would make these gentlemen some amends for the time they have
wasted in listening to my catalogue of misfortunes by relating your
history, which, I am sure, they will find rather more exhilarating."

Saladin consented, on condition that the strangers would accompany him
home and partake of a social banquet. They at first repeated the former
excuse of their being obliged to return to their inn; but at length the
sultan's curiosity prevailed, and he and his vizier went home with
Saladin the Lucky, who, after supper, related his history in the
following manner:--

"My being called Saladin the Lucky first inspired me with confidence in
myself; though I own that I cannot remember any extraordinary instances
of good luck in my childhood. An old nurse of my mother's, indeed,
repeated to me twenty times a day that nothing I undertook could fail to
succeed, because I was Saladin the Lucky. I became presumptuous and
rash; and my nurse's prognostics might have effectually prevented their
accomplishment had I not, when I was about fifteen, been roused to
reflection during a long confinement, which was the consequence of my
youthful conceit and imprudence.

"At this time there was at the Porte a Frenchman, an ingenious engineer,