История о корабле призраке

           Vainlysoughtwetodrawthenailoutofthewood,nostrengthwasabletostartitevenahair’s-breadth. Iknewnotwhatnexttodo,forwecouldnothewdownthemastinordertobringhimtoland; butinthisdilemmaMuleycametomyassistance. Hequicklyorderedaslavetorowtolandandbringapotofearth. Whenhehadarrivedwithit,themagicianpronouncedoveritsomemysteriouswords,andcastitonthedeadman’shead. Immediatelythelatteropenedhiseyes,drewadeepbreath,andthewoundofthenailinhisforeheadbegantobleed. Wenowdrewitlightlyforth,andthewoundedmanfellintothearmsofoneoftheslaves. 

           "Whoboremehither?"heexclaimed,afterheseemedtohaverecoveredhimselfalittle. Muleymadesignstome,andIsteppeduptohim. 

           "Thankthee,unknownstranger;thouhastfreedmefromlongtorment. Forfiftyyearshasmybodybeensailingthroughthesewaves,andmyspiritwascondemnedtoreturntoiteverynight. Butnowmyheadhascomeincontactwiththeearth,and,mycrimeexpiated,Icangotomyfathers!" 

           Ientreatedhim,thereupon,totellhowhehadbeenbroughttothishorriblestate,andhebegan— 

           "Fiftyyearsago,Iwasaninfluential,distinguishedman,andresidedinAlgiers:apassionforgainurgedmeontofitoutaship,andturnpirate. Ihadalreadyfollowedthisbusinesssometime,whenonce,atZante,ItookonboardaDervise,whowishedtotravelfornothing.