hesitation made the widow acquainted with his sentiments. She was not so much alarmed at them; for besides that his out-of-the-way figure began to grow familiar to her, she further considered that if Babekan left her, the shop would presently lose its reputation and that the little money she had saved during her husband’s life, would soon be spent. These reasons induced her, like a sensible woman as she was, to make Babekan a promise of marriage, so soon as he could do it with decency. She kept her word with him some months afterwards; and Babekan, not satisded with his cutting trade alone, whereby in a little time he got a great deal or money, fell likewise into the way of selling brandy of dates, which he had a very considerable demand for.
The correspondence that Babekan had in several towns of the east, came to the ears of his two brothers, who, after having lived for almost five years in the utmost poverty, were at last met together at Derbent: here they learnt to their great joy the prosperity of Babekan, and not doubting but he would assist them in their want, -they resolved to go together to Bagdad; they were no sooner arrived there that they sent for him by a poor woman who had taken them into her house out of charity.
Babekan was prodigiously surprised at the sight of his brothers Have you forgot, said£ he to them in a violent passion, what happened to us at Damascus? have you a mind to make me the jest of this city too; I swear by my head that you shall die beneath the cudgel, if you dare to come near my house, or stay in Bagdad another hour.
Derbent is a town of the province of Servan in Per ja, at the foot of mount Caucase.
