The serjeant and the tailor went immediately, and brought the barber, whom they presented to the sultan.  The barber was an old man of ninety years; his eye-brows and beard were as white as snow, his ears hung down, and he had a very long nose.  The sultan could not forbear laughing when he saw him.  Silent man, said he to him, I understand that you know wonderful stories; will you tell me some of them?  Sir, answered the barber, let us forbear the stories, if you please, at present.  I most humbly beg your majesty to permit me to ask what that Christian, that Jew, that Mussulman, and that dead Hump-back, who lies on the ground, do here before your majesty.  The sultan smiled at the barber’s liberty, and replied, Why do you ask?  Sir, replied the barber, it concerns me to ask, that your majesty may know that I am not so great a talker as some pretend, but a man justly called Silent.

The sultan of Casgar was so complaisant as to satisfy the barber’s curiosity.  He commanded them to tell him the story of the Hump-back, which he earnestly wished for.  When the barber heard it, he shook his head, as if he would say, there was something under this which he did not understand.  Truly, cried he, this is a surprising story; but I am willing to examine Hump-back a little closely.  He drew near him, sat down on the ground, put his head between his knees, and after he had looked upon him steadfastly, he fell into so great a fit of laughter, and had so little command of himself, that he fell backwards on the ground, without considering that he was before the sultan of Casgar.  As soon as he came to himself, It is said, cried he, and without reason, that no man dies without a cause.  If ever any history deserved to be written in letters of gold, it is this of Hump-back.

At this all the people looked on the barber as a buffoon, or a doting old man.  Silent man, said the sultan, speak to me; why do you laugh so hard?  Sir, answered the barber, I swear by your majesty’s good humour that Hump-back is not dead! he is yet alive; and I shall be willing to pass for a madman, if I do not let you sec it this minute.  Having said these words, he took a box, wherein he had several medicines, that he carried about to make use of on occasion; and took out a phial with balsam, with which he rubbed Hump-back’s neck a long time; then he took out of his case a neat iron instrument, which he put betwixt his teeth, and, after he had opened his mouth, he thrust down his throat a pair of pincers, with which he took out a bit offish and bone, which he showed to all the people.  Immediately Hump-back sneezed, stretched forth his arms and feet, and gave several other signs of life.