"I will not weary you with a relation of all the little instances of good
fortune by which my brother Saladin was distinguished, even during his
childhood. As he grew up, his success in everything he undertook was as
remarkable as my ill luck in all that I attempted. From the time the
rich vessel arrived, we lived in splendour; and the supposed prosperous
state of my father's affairs was of course attributed to the influence of
my brother Saladin's happy destiny.

"When Saladin was about twenty, my father was taken dangerously ill; and
as he felt that he should not recover, he sent for my brother to the side
of his bed, and, to his great surprise, informed him that the
magnificence in which we had lived had exhausted all his wealth; that his
affairs were in the greatest disorder; for, having trusted to the hope of
continual success, he had embarked in projects beyond his powers.

"The sequel was, he had nothing remaining to leave to his children but
two large china vases, remarkable for their beauty, but still more
valuable on account of certain verses inscribed upon them in an unknown
character, which were supposed to operate as a talisman or charm in
favour of their possessors.

"Both these vases my father bequeathed to my brother Saladin; declaring
he could not venture to leave either of them to me, because I was so
unlucky that I should inevitably break it. After his death, however, my
brother Saladin, who was blessed with a generous temper, gave me my
choice of the two vases; and endeavoured to raise my spirits by repeating
frequently that he had no faith either in good fortune or ill fortune.

"I could not be of his opinion, though I felt and acknowledged his
kindness in trying to persuade me out of my settled melancholy. I knew