Meeting Sinbad the Sailor
Meeting Sinbad the Sailor Franz removes his blindfold and finds himself facing a strikingly handsome, pale man of thirty-eight to forty in a Tunisian costume of red, black, and gold. Apologizing for the precaution, Sinbad explains that the secrecy protects his retreat, then introduces himself by the name “Sinbad the Sailor” and invites Franz to call himself “Aladdin” for the evening.
Tour of the Opulent Dining Chamber
Tour of the Opulent Dining Chamber Sinbad leads Franz through a tapestry into a dining room of marble and priceless bas-reliefs, with four statues bearing baskets of exotic fruits. The silver and Japanese-china table groans with pheasant, Corsican blackbirds, boar’s ham, kid in tartar sauce, turbot, and lobster, all served by the silent Nubian Ali.
Sinbad’s Tale of Rescuing Ali
Sinbad’s Tale of Rescuing Ali At Franz’s request, Sinbad recounts how he bargained with the Bey of Tunis to spare Ali from a gruesome execution in exchange for a double-barreled gun and an English cutlass. The mute, bound to his savior by gratitude and by terror of Africa’s shores, serves Sinbad with touching devotion.
Sinbad Describes His Unconventional Life
Sinbad Describes His Unconventional Life Changing the subject, Franz remarks that Sinbad, like the original sailor, lives by wandering. Sinbad replies with a singular smile and flashes of ferocity, describing himself as a pasha-king, free as a bird, who dispenses silent, unappealable justice from his hidden kingdom and would never return to the world without some great purpose to fulfill.
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