the old man, “You do not bring us that with which we may acquit ourselves of our duty.” At these words the old man arose, and went into the closet, and brought out thence upon his head ten basins, one after another, all covered with black stuff; he placed one before every gentleman, together with a light.
They uncovered their basins, which contained ashes and powdered charcoal; they mixed this together, and rubbed and bedaubed their faces with it; and having thus blackened themselves, they wept and lamented, beating their heads and breasts, and crying continually, “This is the fruit of our idleness and curiosity.”
They continued this strange employment nearly the whole of the night. I wished a thousand times to break the silence which had been imposed upon me, and to ask the reason for their strange proceedings. The next day, soon after we had arisen, we went out to walk, and then I said to them, “I cannot forbear asking why you bedaubed your faces with black, and how it has happened that each of you has but one eye. I conjure you to satisfy my curiosity.”
One of the young men answered on behalf of the rest, “Once more we advise you to restrain your curiosity; it will cost you the loss of your right eye.” “No matter,” I replied; “be assured that if such a misfortune befall me, I will not impute it to you, but to myself.”
He further represented to me, that when I had lost an eye, I
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