'
'Captain,' said I, 'I am that Sinbad whom you thought to be dead,
and those bales are mine.'
When the captain heard me speak thus, 'O heaven,' said he, 'whom
can we ever trust now-a-days? There is no faith left among men. I
saw Sinbad perish with my own eyes, and the passengers on board saw
it as well as I, and yet you tell me you are that Sinbad. What
impudence is this! To look at you, one would take you to be a man
of honesty, and yet you tell a horrible falsehood, in order to
possess yourself of what does not belong to you.'
'Have patience, captain,' replied I; 'do me the favour to hear what
I have to say.'
'Very well,' said he, 'speak; I am ready to hear you.' Then I told
him how I escaped, and by what adventure I met with the grooms of
King Mihrage, who brought me to his court.
He was soon persuaded that I was no cheat, for there came people
from his ship who knew me, paid me great compliments, and expressed
much joy to see me alive. At last he knew me himself, and embracing
me, 'Heaven be praised,' said he, 'for your happy escape; I cannot
enough express my joy for it: there are your goods; take and do
with them what you will.' I thanked him, acknowledged his honesty,
and in return offered him part of my goods as a present, which he
generously refused.
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