protect us in the same manner, until we arrive again in our own country.  Hear me, O Lord, and grant my request.’  The young man cast his eyes upon me, and said, My good lady, pray let me know who you are, and what has brought you to this desolate city?  In requital I will tell you who I am, what happened to me, why the inhabitants of this city are reduced to the state you see them in, and why I alone am safe and sound in the midst of such a terrible disaster.  I told him in few words from whence I came, what made me undertake the voyage, and how I safely arrived at this port, after twenty days sailing; and when I had done, prayed him to perform his promise, and told him how much I was struck by the frightful desolation which I had seen in all places as I came along.

My dear lady, says the young man, have patience for a moment.  At those words he shut the alcoran, put it into a rich case, and laid it in the niche.  I took that opportunity to observe him, and perceived so much good nature and beauty in him, that I felt very strange emotions.  He made me sit down by him, and, before he began his discourse, I could not forbear saying to him, with an air that discovered the sentiments I was inspired with, Amiable sir, dear object of my soul, I can scarcely have patience to wait for an account of all those wonderful things that I have seen since the first time I came into your city, and my curiosity cannot be satisfied too soon; therefore, pray, sir, let me know by what miracle you alone are left alive among so many persons who have died in so strange a manner.

Madam, says the young man, you have given me to understand you have the knowledge of a true God, by the prayer you have just now addressed to him.  I will acquaint you with a most remarkable effect of his greatness and power.  You must know that this city was the metropolis of a mighty kingdom, over which the king my father reigned.  That prince, his whole court, the inhabitants of the city, and all his other subjects, were magi, worshippers of fire, and of Nardoun, the ancient king of the giants, who rebelled against God.  Though I was begotten and born of an adulterous father and mother, I had the good fortune in my youth to have a woman-governess who was a good Mussulman; I had the alcoran by heart, and understood the explanation of it perfectly well.  Dear prince, would she oftentimes say, there is but one true God; take heed that you do not acknowledge or adore any other.  She learned me to read Arabic, and the book she gave me to exercise upon was the alcoran.  As soon as I was capable of understanding it, she explained to me all the heads of this excellent book, and infused piety into my mind, unknown to my father or any body else.  She happened to die, but not before she had perfectly instructed me in all that was necessary to convince me of the Mussulman religion.  After her death, I persisted with constancy in the belief I was in; and I abhor the false god Nardoun, as well as the adoration of fire.