The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1900-01-10


his feet
Arriving in the city. he found that
the street which he had to cross was
blocked with numerous carriages. Aft
er waiting few moments he began to
lose patience, when all at once drivers
and horses, as though hit by some mys-
FERROUS blow, dropped dead to the
ground
lie went to the theater and there fell
quarrellng with the scholar Carvilaka
about some verses which the latter as
cribed TO Nisami, while Turin claimed
that they were composed by Saadi.
Suddenly the scholar uttered n shrek
and expired. The play which was
performed had great success and was
much applauded by the audience.
Hardly had Turiri made up his mind
to join In the applause when the au-
thor of the play breathed his last.
Turiri returned home. terrified Mt
what he had seen, and, thinking him
self the cause of all these murders, he
killed himself in despair by plunging
n dagger into his heart.
During the same night died also
Maitrega, the ascetlc.
Both appeared simultaneously before
0rmuzd
The ascetic thought in his mind:
How | shall rejoice to see this man
Judged according to his desert! This
man whose hypocrisy was almost MS
much admired as my virtue as soon rs
he had power to do what he liked
showed his true nature by committing
countless crimes"
Ormuzd. however, turned smilingly
to Turlri and said
welcome. virtuous Turiri. You
were truly n good man and my faith
full servant. Enter now into my eter.
nal peace
That's a good Joke" said the as
celtic. with snecr.
Never have | been more in earnest
than at this moment" replied OrmuZl
and, addressing again Turiri, spoke
"You wished the destruction of your
wife because of her ungentlencss and
LONELINESS; the destruction of the beg
CARS because Of their annoyance and
the repulsive sight they offered; the
destruction of the eeurtesan heeause
of her foollshness and inslncerlty; of
the drivers and their horses for enus-
Ing you an unnecessary delay; of the
scholar CarylaEa for dlsagreeIng with
you; of the playwright for his being
more successful than you. All these
wishes were perfectly natural The
murders with which you were charged
by Maitrega were without your know
Ing II. the effect of your first wish.
that wish which no one Is able to COM
mand. II is quite natural to hate all
that Is disturbing and obstructlng, and
1t Is Just as natural to desire the de-
structlon Of what we hate. Nature Is
egotistlcal. and the name of egotlsm
Is destruction, Thus sin and crime
take root IN the hearts of even the most
vlrtuous, and II mortals had the power
of realizing their first Involuntary
wishes the earth would fast become
depopulated. This, Turirl, | purposcd
to SheT ly your example. But Judge
men after their second impulse only,
that impulse which alone is In their
power. Without the mysterious gift
for which you did not ask and which
made your last day so murderous you
would have continued to lead benen
cent existence. 1t Is therefore, not
your nature that have to consider,
but your Will. which was good and
ever ready to curb nature and to i'm
prove any imperfect work, And for
this reason, my dear coworkcr | open
10 you the gates of paradise"
$50 far, so good" said Maltrega, "but
what reward do you grant to me?'
The same" replied Ormuzd, al
though YOU only partly deserved It,
You were saint, but you were not
human being unless SO through your
pride. You succeeded in sitting the
first impulse In your heart, but If all
men would live like you mankind
would be even faster extermlnated
than It could be through the fatal pow
er granted to my faithful servant Tu-
riri. Now. | want mankind to exist, as
] find pleasure In its sight, which mt
times Is very beautiful. Even your eff
forts. miserable nscetic, were not en-
tirely devoid Of beauty, and therefore
! pardon you your foolish error, And
thus ! receive Turlri into my bosom,
because ! am just, and you. Maltrega,
because am merciful."
"But'- objected Maltrega.
81 have spoken. "-Translated From
the French For Cleveland Plain Dealer.