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178 moustapha's house.
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Transcript
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
Li Of Oj Tt ? Le Propriety All Arab The ...
own beastand you on yours , what do you niean by asking which , shall CJiann carry did the not other answer ?" they continued their route , and soon
approached the village . The , first thing they saw was a field full of ripe standing corn ; and Chann said to his Arab , Dear me ! I
wonder if that corn is eaten or not . " " Good gracious ! " said the Arab , " you certainly are crazy ; you
see a field of standing corn ready to be cut , and you ask me if it is eaten or not ! " But Chann said not a word . Our two travellers
entered the village , where they met a funeral procession . Then said Chann to his fellow-traveller , Ci Is the man in that coffin
living , or does he happen to be dead ? " " "Well ! " broke out the Arab" never did I see suck a half-witted creature ! Here is a
funeral , , and yet you actually want to know if the man in the coinn is living or dead ! " But Chann held his tongue .
"When they were fairly in the village , Chann was about to part from his companion ; but the Arab , probably afraid tkat he would
come "to some mischief if left alone , insisted on taking him to his own house . Chann allowed himself to be led like a lamb .
They reached the dwelling , and the Arab left his guest and went into the inner rooms to find his daughterwho was called Tabakah .
Tabakah had probably been peeping- out , of the window , for she asked lier father who the man was whom he had _broxight home
with liim . " Oh ! I have left him outside ; he is a dreary fellow—never saw
anybody so stupid in my life ! " and the Arab repeated Chann ' s ridiculous questions .
" My father , " said Tabakah , solemnly , " this man is by no means so silly as you suppose ; I will explain the meaning of what he
said . " c ( "Welllet us hear what you can make of it . "
, Then Tabakah proceeded to unravel Chann ' s speech as if it were a parable , saying , " When he said ' Shall I carry you , or will '
you carry me ? ' he meant , Shall I beguile the way with an amusing story , or will you ? for then we shall lighten the way not ? to he each meant other to . '
When he said , Is this standing corn eaten or ' say , ' Has the proprietor mortgaged it , and spent the price thereof beforehand ? ' and when he asked that question about the man in
the coffin , he was speculating * as to whether the defunct had left any children behind him , in whom lie might yet be said to live . "
Thus said the wise , and witty Tabakah ; and her father opened his twinkling eyes in astonishmentbut did not commit his
pater-, nal dignity further than by observing " Thou hast reason . !" However , I am sorry to say that the Arab conceived the
exceedingly mean project of impressing Chann with his own remarkable intelli sideand gence talked ; for to he him returned with a to degage his guest airand , sat without down affabl betray y ing at his his
burning , desire to clear himself in Chann , ' s estimation . Presently
178 Moustapha's House.
178 moustapha ' s house .
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Nov. 1, 1861, page 178, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01111861/page/34/
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