` As she spoke she held out the sacred book written by Moïzes , and pointed to the following lines : ' `` If at midnight the watches are wound with the key of gold and the key of silver , they will resume their proper shapes during the first hour of the day . They will always remain under the care of a woman , and will come back to her wherever they may be . And the woman appointed to guard them is the daughter of Moïzes . '' ` My brothers were full of rage when they saw themselves outwitted , but there was no help for it . The watches were delivered up to Sumi and they went their way , while I remained behind curious to see what would happen . ` As night wore on Sumi wound up both watches , and when midnight struck Aurora and her sister made their appearance . They knew nothing of what had occurred and supposed they had just awakened from sleep , but when Sumi 's story made them understand their terrible fate , they both sobbed with despair and were only consoled when Sumi promised never to forsake them . Then one o'clock sounded , and they became watches again . ` All night long I was a prey to vague fears , and I felt as if something unseen was pushing me on -- in what direction I did not know . At dawn I rose and went out , meeting Izif in the street suffering from the same dread as myself . We agreed that Constantinople was no place for us any longer , and calling to Izouf to accompany us , we left the city together , but soon determined to travel separately , so that we might not be so easily recognised by the spies of Siroco . ' A few days later I found myself at the door of an old castle near the sea , before which a tall slave was pacing to and fro . The gift of one or two worthless jewels loosened his tongue , and he informed me that he was in the service of the son of the Bassa of the Sea , at that time making war in distant countries . The youth , he told me , had been destined from his boyhood to marry the daughter of Siroco , whose sisters were to be the brides of his brothers , and went on to speak of the talisman that his charge possessed . But I could think of nothing but the beautiful Zelida , and my passion , which I thought I had conquered , awoke in full force . ` In order to remove this dangerous rival from my path , I resolved to kidnap him , and to this end I began to act a madman , and to sing and dance loudly , crying to the slave to fetch the boy and let him see my tricks . He consented , and both were so diverted with my antics that they laughed till the tears ran down their cheeks , and even tried to imitate me . Then I declared I felt thirsty and begged the slave to fetch me some water , and while he was absent I advised the youth to take off his turban , so as to cool his head . He complied gladly , and in the twinkling of an eye was changed into a pot . A cry from the slave warned me that I had no time to lose if I would save my life , so I snatched up the pot and fled with it like the wind .
` You have heard , my lords , what became of the pot , so I will only say now that when I awoke it had disappeared ; but I was partly consoled XXXXX its loss by finding my two brothers fast asleep not far from me .
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