第80章 STORY OF THE HUNCHBACK(2)

After awhilethere came up a Christianthe Sultan's brokerwho had sallied forthin a state of intoxicationintending for the bathfor in his drunkenness he thought that matins were near.

He came staggering alongtill he drew near the hunchback and squatted down over against him to make waterwhenhappening to look roundhe saw a man standing against the wall. Now some one had snatched off the broker's turban early in the nightand seeing the hunchback standing there he concluded that he meant to play him the same trick. So he clenched his fist and smote him on the neck. Down fell the hunchbackwhilst the broker called to the watchman of the market and fell on the dead manpummelling and throttling him in the excess of his drunken rage. Presently，the watchman came up and finding a Christian kneeling on a Muslim and beating himsaid to the former'What is the matter？'This fellow tried to snatch off my turban，'answered the broker；and the watchman said'Get up from him.'So he roseand the watchman went up to the hunchback and finding him dead，exclaimed'By Allahit is a fine thing that a Christian should kill a Muslim！'Then he seized the broker and tying his hands behind himcarried him to the house of the prefect of police，where they passed the night；and all the while the broker kept saying'O Messiah！O Virgin！how came I to kill this man？

Indeedhe must have been in a great hurry to die of one blow with the fist！'And his drunkenness left him and reflection came in its stead. As soon as it was daythe prefect came out and commanded to hang the supposed murderer and bade the executioner make proclamation of the sentence. So they set up a gallows，under which they made the broker standand the hangman put the rope round his neck and was about to hoist him upwhen behold，the controller of the Sultan's kitchenpassing bysaw the broker about to be hangedand pressing through the crowdcried out to the executionersaying'Stop！Stop！I am he who killed the hunchback.'Quoth the prefect'What made thee kill him？'And he replied'I came home last night and found this man who had come down the windshaft to steal my goods；so I struck him with a cudgel on the breast and he died. Then I took him up and carried him to the market and set him up against the wall in such a place. Is it not enough for me to have killed a Muslimwithout burdening my conscience with the death of a Christian also？ Hang therefore none but me.'When the prefect heard thishe released the broker and said to the executioner'Hang up this man on his own confession.'So he loosed the rope from the broker's neck and threw it round that of the controllerand placing him under the gallowswas about to hang himwhen beholdthe Jewish physician pushed through the press and cried out'Stop！It was I and none else who killed him！I was sitting at home last nightwhen a man and a woman knocked at the doorcarrying this hunchbackwho was sickand gave my servant a quarter-dinarbidding her give it to me and tell me to come down to see him. Whilst she was gonethey brought the hunchback into the house and setting him on the stairswent away. PresentlyI came down and not seeing him，stumbled on him in the darkand he fell to the foot of the stair and died forthright. Then we took him upI and my wifeand carried him on to the roofwhence we let him downthrough the windshaftinto the house of this controllerwhich adjoins my own. When he came home and found the hunchbackhe took him for a robber and beat himso that he fell to the groundand he concluded that he had killed him. So is it not enough for me to have killed one Muslim unwittinglywithout burdening myself with the death of another wittingly？'When the prefect heard the Jew's storyhe said to the hangman'Let the controller goand hang the Jew.'So the hangman took the Jew and put the rope round his neckwhen beholdthe tailor pressed through the folk and cried out to him'Hold thy hand！None killed him save Iand it fell out thus. I had been out a-pleasuring yesterday and coming back in the eveningmet this hunchbackwho was drunk and singing lustily to a tambourine. So I carried him to my house and bought fishand we sat down to eat. Presentlymy wife took a piece of fish and crammed it down the hunchback's throat；but it went the wrong way and stuck in his gullet and choked himso that he died at once. So we lifted him upI and my wifeand carried him to the Jew's housewhere the girl came down and opened the door to usand I said to her'Give thy master this quarter-dinar and tell him that there are a man and a woman at the doorwho have brought a sick person for him to see.'So she went in to tell her masterand whilst she was goneI carried the hunchback to the top of the stairwhere I propped him upand went away with my wife. When the Jew came outhe stumbled over him and thought that he had killed him.'Then he said to the Jew'Is not this the truth？'It is，'replied the Jew. And the tailor turned to the prefect and said'Let the Jew goand hang me.'When the prefect heard the tailor's storyhe wondered at the adventure of the hunchback and exclaimed'Verilythis is a matter that should be recorded in books！'Then he said to the hangman'Let the Jew goand hang the tailor on his own confession.'So the hangman took the tailor and put the rope round his necksaying，'I am tired of taking this man and loosing thatand no one hanged after all.'