and, running to a well in the corner of
the courtyard, held her babe over it, and
declared that if Mathias did not promise
instantly to go, quarrel with his friend, and
break off the arrangement—her gestures
expressed the consequence. The worthy man
promised anything.

He was quite right, say those who tell this
story, to get the child out of the angry
mother's hands at any cost; for, although at
first there was only a threat, there is no knowing
how far she might have been provoked by
contradiction. A tolerable number of "I
will's" and "You shant's" rapidly interchanged
(for they are expressions as current
in Arabic as in English), may irritate
a passionate woman to murder. But
when Zara had taken the child out of
reach, up-stairs, and was stilling its cries
by putting her great black thumb in its
mouth, wliy did not Mathias seize a stout
palm branch, and administer a little
wholesome correction? That is what the
narrators want to know; because, if he had,
a great deal of misfortune might have been
averted.

As it was, Mathias went another way to
work. He approached his wife, and fondled
her, and repeated his promise, and took
a great many unnecessary oaths, in
hearing of the ill-looking woman, and went
out again to find Zacharias, at first with the
resolution of explaining the whole matter to
him, and begging his indulgence. However,
he could not make up his mind to admit his
weakness in so straightforward a manner.
Weak people never can do such a thing;
otherwise, indeed, they would be strong.

"Zacharias," said he, entering his friend's
warehouse, "I come to repeat my promise
and hear you repeat yours; but I have
remembered a foolish prophecy that I once
heard, namely, that if ever I betrothed a
child before the age of ten years it would
surely die. This is nonsense; but were my
wife to learn what has happened she would
be unhappy. Let us agree, therefore, to keep
it to ourselves; or, if thou hast mentioned
it to anybody already, thou must deny it. I
ask this for the sake of our friendship."

Zacharias looked very hard at his friend;
and, seeing him blush, suspected that he was
not telling the truth. However, not having
attached much importance to the betrothal,
and being occupied with matters of business,
he easily agreed to what was required of him.
Mathias went away delighted, saying to
himself, "In ten years who knows what may
happen? Perhaps my wife may be in Paradise."

Time passed away, and every year the
Pearl became more beautiful; so that when
she had reached the age of nine, already the
marriage-brokers, from whom the betrothal
had been kept a secret, began to come to the
house and compliment the mother, and
suggest that foresight was a great virtue, and
that it would be well to look round tor a
good match. They had seen the child at the
bath, and had turned the heads of five old
gentlemen, three wealthy merchants, and a good
many youths, with descriptions of her charms.
In three years more, they said, she would be
worthy to be the bride of a prince.

When they repeated these compliments to
the mother, that ambitious woman smiled
proudly. They were not accustomed to this,
and redoubled their efforts to open negotiations.
One of them especially came almost
every day on behalf of Sidi Yusuf, who was
said to be the richest, and was certainly the
oldest, merchant in all Egypt. But all was in
vain. The wife of Mathias waited patiently
for the appearance of a prince.

Meanwhile, Yazir also grew, and became
the pride of his parent. Before he was ten
years of age he could read like an Effendi,
and was capable in accounts. One day in
the bazaar, during the absence of his father,
he concluded a bargain for a bale of goods as
if he had been a merchant all his life. The
excellent Zacharias was never weary of
boasting of Yazir's cleverness and beauty.
He still remained desirous of uniting him to
the daughter of his friend; and, when he
heard much talk of Lulu's perfections among
his fellow merchants, some of whom openly,
and others secretly, had determined to ask
her in marriage, he smiled to think how
certain their disappointment was. Occasionally
he reminded Mathias on the subject, to
that worthy man's extreme annoyance; for
there was no sign that the mother of the
Pearl had for the present any longing to be
admitted into Paradise, and no hope that the
coming prince would be forgotten.

When the ten years were fulfilled Zacharias,
taking his son by the hand, went to Mathias
and said before witnesses, "There is no longer
need of concealment. It is fitting that the
ceremony of betrothal between my boy and
thy daughter should now publicly take
place."

The bystanders opened their eyes till they
became as round as the eyes of owls; and
exclaimed "Yeh!" in token of astonishment.
Mathias stammered, and turned red and
pale, and twitched his cloak with his hands.
There was no escaping. So, making up his
mind to be courageous, he frankly confessed
that his wife would not betroth Lulu to any
one, because she destined her to be the bride
of a prince. When he had told all, the
auditors laughed heartily from various
causes. Some of them had been paying
a marriage broker for years, to plead their
cause with the mother of Lulu, and they
laughed to hide their vexation. Others were
delighted to observe the angry face of
Zacharias, and the deprecating posture of Mathias:
and all were amused at the idea of a Christian
prince coming from some unknown kingdom
in search of this Pearl. The fact is, as they
knew, that there is no princely family existing