Leave the mention of him. Who is at the door?" Quoth 'Adi, "Al-Ahwas al-Ansari." Cried Omar, "Allah Almighty put him away, and estrange him from His mercy! Is it not he who said, berhyming on a Medinite's slave girl, so that she might outlive her master:

Allah be judge betwixt me and her lord | Whoever flies with

her and I pursue.'

He shall not come in to me! Who is at the door other than he?» 'Adi replied, "Hammam bin Ghalib al-Farazdak." And Omar said, "Tis he who glories in wickedness.

He

shall not come in to me! Who is at the door other than he?» 'Adi replied, “Al-Akhtal al-Taghlibi." And Omar said, "He is the [godless] miscreant who saith in his singing:

'Ramazan I ne'er fasted in lifetime; nay | I ate flesh in public

at undurn day!

Nor chid I the fair, save in word of love, | Nor seek Meccah's plain in salvation-way:

Nor stand I praying, like rest, who cry, "Hie salvationwards!" at the dawn's first ray.

By Allah! he treadeth no carpet of mine.

Who is at the door

And Omar

other than he?" Said 'Adi, "Jarir Ibn al-Khatafah." cried, "Tis he who saith:

'But for ill-spying glances, had our eyes espied | Eyes of the antelope, and ringlets of the Reems!

A Huntress of the eyes, by night-time came; and I cried, "Turn in peace! No time for visit this, meseems. >>>>

But if it must be, and no help, admit Jarir." So 'Adi went forth and admitted Jarir, who entered saying:

'Yea, He who sent Mohammed unto men | A just successor of

Islâm assigned.

His ruth and his justice all mankind embrace | To daunt the bad and stablish well-designed.

Verily now, I look to present good, | for man hath ever transient weal in mind.'

Quoth Omar, "O Jarir! keep the fear of Allah before thine eyes, and say naught save the sooth." And Jarir recited these couplets:

'How many widows loose the hair, in far Yamamah land, How many an orphan there abides, feeble of voice and eye, Since faredst thou, who wast to them instead of father lost | when they like nestled fledglings were, sans power to creep or fly.

And now we hope-since broke the clouds their word and troth with us Hope from the Caliph's grace to gain a

rain that ne'er shall dry.'

When the Caliph heard this, he said, "By Allah, O Jarir! Omar possesseth but an hundred dirhams. Ho boy! do thou give them to him!" Moreover, he gifted Jarir with the ornaments of his sword; and Jarir went forth to the other poets, who asked him, "What is behind thee?" [What is thy news?"] and he answered, "A man who giveth to the poor, and who denieth the poets; and with him I am well pleased."

D

DOMINIQUE FRANÇOIS ARAGO

(1786-1853)

BY EDWARD S. HOLDEN

SOMINIQUE FRANÇOIS ARAGO was born February 26th, 1786, near Perpignan, in the Eastern Pyrenees, where his father held the position of Treasurer of the Mint. He entered the École Polytechnique in Paris after a brilliant examination, and held the first places throughout the course. In 1806 he was sent to Valencia in Spain, and to the neighboring island of Iviza, to make the astronomical observations for prolonging the arc of the meridian from Dunkirk southward, in order to supply the basis for the metric system.

Here begin his extraordinary adventures, which are told with inimitable spirit and vigor in his 'Autobiography.' Arago's work required him to occupy stations on the summits of the highest peaks in the mountains of southeastern Spain. The peasants were densely ignorant and hostile to all foreigners, so that an escort of troops was required in many of his journeys. At some stations he made friends of the bandits of the neighborhood, and carried on his observations under their protection, as it were. In 1807 the tribunal of the Inquisition existed in Valencia; and Arago was witness to the trial and punishment of a pretended sorceress,—and this, as he says, in one of the principal towns of Spain, the seat of a celebrated university. Yet the worst criminals lived unmolested in the cathedrals, for the "right of asylum" was still in force. His geodetic observations were

mysteries to the inhabitants, and his signals on the mountain top were believed to be part of the work of a French spy. Just at this time hostilities broke out between France and Spain, and the astronomer was obliged to flee disguised as a Majorcan peasant, carrying his precious papers with him. His knowledge of the Majorcan language saved him, and he reached a Spanish prison with only a slight wound from a dagger. It is the first recorded instance, he says, of a fugitive flying to a dungeon for safety. In this prison, under the care of Spanish officers, Arago found sufficient occupation in calculating observations which he had made; in reading the accounts in the Spanish journals of his own execution at Valencia; and in listening to rumors that it was proposed (by a Spanish monk) to do away with the French prisoner by poisoning his food.

The Spanish officer in charge of the prisoners was induced to connive at the escape of Arago and M. Berthémie (an aide-de-camp of Napoleon); and on the 28th of July, 1808, they stole away from the coast of Spain in a small boat with three sailors, and arrived at Algiers on the 3d of August. Here the French consul procured them two false passports, which transformed the Frenchmen into strolling merchants from Schwekat and Leoben. They boarded an Algerian vessel and set off. Let Arago describe the crew and cargo:

"The vessel belonged to the Emir of Seca. The commander was a Greek captain named Spiro Calligero. Among the passengers were five members of the family superseded by the Bakri as kings of the Jews; two Maroccan ostrich-feather merchants; Captain Krog from Bergen in Norway; two lions sent by the Dey of Algiers as presents to the Emperor Napoleon; and a great number of monkeys."

As they entered the Golfe du Lion their ship was captured by a Spanish corsair and taken to Rosas. Worst of all, a former Spanish servant of Arago's - Pablo-was a sailor in the corsair's crew! At Rosas the prisoners were brought before an officer for interrogation. It was now Arago's turn. The officer begins:

<<<Who are you?'

"A poor traveling merchant.'

«From whence do you come ?>

«From a country where you certainly have never been.'

« Well-from what country ?>

"I feared to answer; for the passports (steeped in vinegar to prevent infection) were in the officer's hands, and I had entirely forgotten whether I was from Schwekat or from Leoben. Finally I answered at a chance, I am from Schwekat;' fortunately this answer agreed with the passport.

"You're from Schwekat about as much as I am,' said the officer: 'you're a Spaniard, and a Spaniard from Valencia to boot, as I can tell by your

accent.'