THE THOUSAND AND ONE
HUMBUGS.

ON the following night, Hansardadade
proceeded with:

THE STORY OF THE TALKATIVE BARBER.

In the great plain which lies at the feet of
the mountains of Casgar, and which is seven
weeks' journey across, there is a city where a
lame young man was once invited, with other
guests, to an entertainment. Upon his
entrance, the company already assembled rose
up to do him honour, and the host taking
him by the hand invited him to sit down,
with the rest upon the estrade. At the
same time the master of the house greeted
his visitor with the salutation, Allah is
Allah, there is no Allah but Allah, may
his name be praised, and may Allah be with
you!

Sire, the lame young man, who had the
appearance of one that had suffered much,
was about to comply with the invitation of
the master of the house to seat himself upon
the estrade with the rest of the company,
when he suddenly perceived among them, a
Barber. He instantly flew back with every
token of abhorrence, and made towards the
door. The master of the house, amazed at
this behaviour, stopped him. Sir, exclaimed
the young man, I adjure you by Mecca, do
not stop me, let me go. I cannot without
horror look upon, that abominable Barber.
Upon him and upon the whole of his relations
be the curse of Allah, in return for all I have
endured from his intolerable levity, and from
his talk never being to the point or purpose!
With these words, the lame young man again
made violently towards the door. The guests
were astonished at this behaviour, and
began to have a very bad opinion of the
Barber.

The master of the house so courteously
entreated the lame young man to recount to
the company the causes of this strong dislike,
that at length he could not refuse. Averting
his head so that he might not see the
Barber, he proceeded. Gentlemen, you must
know that this accursed Barber is the cause
of my being crippled, and is the occasion of
all my misfortunes. I became acquainted
with him in the following manner.

I am called PUBLEEK, or The Many Headed.
I am one of a large family, who have undergone
an infinite variety of adventures and
afflictions. One day, I chanced to sit down
to rest on a seat in a narrow lane, when a
lattice over against me opened, and I obtained
a glimpse of the most ravishing Beauty in
the world. After watering a pot of budding
flowers which stood in the window, she
perceived me and modestly withdrew; but, not
before she had directed towards me a glance
so full ot charms, that I screamed aloud with
love and became insensible for a considerable
time.

When I came to myself, I directed a
favourite slave to make enquiries among the
neighbours, and, on pain of death, to bring
me an exact account of the young lady's
family and condition. The slave acquitted
himself so well, that he informed me within
an hour that the young lady's name was
FAIR GUVAWNMENT, and that she was the
daughter of the chief Cadi. The violence of
my passion became so great that I took to
my bed that evening, fell into a fever, and
was reduced to the brink of death, when an
old lady of my acquaintance came to see me.
Son, said she, after observing me attentively,
I perceive that your disease is love. Inform
me who is the object of your affections, and
rely upon me to bring you together. This
address of the good old lady's had such an
effect upon me, that I immediately arose
quite restored in health, and began to dress
myself.

In a word (continued the lame young man,
addressing the company assembled in the
house of the citizen of the plain at the feet
of the mountains of Casgar, and always keeping
his head in such a position as that he
could not see the Barber), the old lady
exerted herself in my behalf with such effect,
that on the very next day she returned,
commissioned by the enchantress of my soul to
appoint a meeting between us. I arranged
to attire myself in my richest clothes, and
dispatched the same favourite slave with
instructions to fetch a Barber, who knew his
business, and who could skilfully prepare me
for the interview I was to have, for the first
time in all my life, with Fair Guvawnment.
Gentlemen, the slave returned with the wretch
whom you see here.