In the same wrapper was a roll of paper with a few words as follows , traced in a hand unknown to Neangir : ` Traitors , you are no doubt in league with those magicians who have stolen the two daughters of the unfortunate Siroco , and have taken from them the talisman given them by their father . You have kept my son from me , but I have found out your hiding-place and swear by the Holy Prophet to punish your crime . The stroke of my scimitar is swifter than the lightning . ' The unhappy Neangir on reading these two letters -- of which he understood absolutely nothing -- felt sadder and more lonely than ever . It soon dawned on him that he must be the son of the man who had written to Mohammed and his wife , but he did not know where to look for him , and indeed thought much more about the people who had brought him up and whom he was never to see again . To shake off these gloomy feelings , so as to be able to make some plans for the future , Neangir left the house and walked briskly about the city till darkness had fallen . He then retraced his steps and was just crossing the threshold when he saw something at his feet sparkling in the moonlight . He picked it up , and discovered it to be a gold watch shining with precious stones . He gazed up and down the street to see if there was anyone about to whom it might belong , but there was not a creature visible . So he put it in his sash , by the side of a silver watch which he had bought from the Jew that morning . The possession of this piece of good fortune cheered Neangir up a little , ` for , ' thought he , ' I can sell these jewels for at least a thousand sequins , and that will certainly last me till I have found my father . ' And consoled by this reflection he laid both watches beside him and prepared to sleep . In the middle of the night he awoke suddenly and heard a soft voice speaking , which seemed to come from one of the watches . ` Aurora , my sister , ' it whispered gently . ` Did they remember to wind you up at midnight ? ' ` No , dear Argentine , ' was the reply . ` And you ? ' ` They forgot me , too , ' answered the first voice , ` and it is now one o'clock , so that we shall not be able to leave our prison till to-morrow -- if we are not forgotten again -- then . ' ` We have nothing now to do here , ' said Aurora . ` We must resign ourselves to our fate -- let us go . '
Filled with astonishment Neangir sat up XXXXX bed , and beheld by the light of the moon the two watches slide to the ground and roll out of the room past the cats ' quarters .
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