Syed Naomaun understood what the caliph demanded of him.  The relation was painful to him.  He changed colour several times, and could not help shewing how greatly he was embarrassed.  However, he must resolve to tell his story; but before he spoke, he prostrated himself before the caliph’s throne, and after he rose up, endeavoured to speak to satisfy the caliph, but was so confounded, not so much at the presence of the caliph, as by the nature of his relation, that he was speechless.

The caliph, notwithstanding his natural impatience to be obeyed, shewed not the least anger at Syed Naomaun’s silence:  he saw plainly, that he either had not assurance to speak before him, or was intimidated by the tone of his voice; or, in short, that there was something to be concealed in his story.

“Syed Naomaun,” said the caliph, to encourage him, “recollect yourself, but tell your story as if you were speaking not to me, but to your most familiar friend.  If there is any thing in your relation which troubles you, and you think I may be offended at it, I pardon you beforehand:  therefore be not uneasy, but speak boldly and freely, and disguise nothing.”

Syed Naomaun, encouraged by these words, said, “Commander of the faithful, whatever apprehensions a man may be under at your majesty’s presence, I am sensible those respectful sensations would not deprive me of the use of my speech, so as to fail in my obedience, in giving you satisfaction in any other matter but this you now ask of me.  I dare not say I am the most perfect of men; yet I am not wicked enough to have committed, or to have had an intention of committing any thing against the laws to fear their severity; and yet I cannot say I am exempt from sin through ignorance.  In this case I do not say that I depend upon your majesty’s pardon, but will submit myself to your justice, and receive the punishment I deserve.  I own, that the manner in which I have for some time treated my mare, and which your majesty has witnessed, is strange, and sets an ill example:  but I hope you will think the motive well grounded, and that I am more worthy of compassion than chastisement:  but not to keep your majesty any longer in suspense by a long preamble, I will tell you my story.”

The Story of Syed Naomaun.

I shall not trouble your majesty with my birth, which is not illustrious enough to merit your attention.  For my situation, my parents, by their good economy, left me enough to live on like an honest man, free from ambition, or being burdensome to any one.

With these advantages, the only blessing I wanted to render my happiness complete was an amiable wife, who might share them with me; but that was a blessing it did not please God to grant me:  on the contrary, it was my misfortune to have one, who, the very next day after our wedding, began to exercise my patience in a manner not to be conceived by any one who has not had the same trial.