Supplemental Nights to The Book of the Thousand and One Nights | Page 7

at the end of that time, the culprit be not found, I will be
responsible for that which is lost." When the folk heard my speech they
all approved it as reasonable and the Wali turned to the Kazi and sware

to him that he would do his utmost to recover the stolen monies adding,
"And they shall be restored to thee." Then he went away, whilst I
mounted without stay or delay and began to-ing and fro-ing about the
world without purpose, and indeed I was become the underling of a
woman without honesty or honour; and I went my rounds in this way
all that my day and that my night, but happened not upon tidings of her;
and thus I did on the morrow. On the third day I said to myself, "Thou
art mad or silly;" for I was wandering in quest of a woman who knew
me[FN#28] and I knew her not, she being veiled when I met her. Then
I went round about the third day till the hour of mid-afternoon prayer,
and sore waxed my cark and my care for I kenned that there remained
to me of my life but the morrow, when the Chief of Police would send
for me. However, as sundown-time came, I passed through one of the
main streets, and saw a woman at a window; her door was ajar and she
was clapping her hands and casting sidelong glances at me, as who
should say, "Come up by the door." So I went up, without fear or
suspicion, and when I entered, she rose and clasped me to her breast. I
marvelled at the matter and quoth she to me, "I am she whom thou
depositedst with Amin al-Hukm." Quoth I to her, "O my sister, I have
been going round and round in request of thee, for indeed thou hast
done a deed which will be chronicled and hast cast me into red
death[FN#29] on thine account." She asked me, "Dost thou speak thus
to me and thou a captain of men?" and I answered, "How should I not
be troubled, seeing that I be in concern for an affair I turn over and over
in mind, more by token that I continue my day long going about
searching for thee and in the night I watch its stars and
planets?"[FN#30] Cried she, "Naught shall betide save weal, and thou
shalt get the better of him."[FN#31] So saying, she rose and going to a
chest, drew out therefrom six bags full of gold and said to me, "This is
what I took from Amin al-Hukm's house. So an thou wilt, restore it;
else the whole is lawfully[FN#32] thine; and if thou desire other than
this, thou shalt obtain it; for I have monies in plenty and I had no
design herein save to marry thee." Then she arose and opening other
chests, brought out therefrom wealth galore and I said to her, "O my
sister, I have no wish for all this, nor do I want aught except to be quit
of that wherein I am." Quoth she, "I came not forth of the Kazi's house
without preparing for thine acquittance." Then said she to me, "When

the morrow shall morn and Amin al-Hukm shall come to thee bear with
him till he have made an end of his speech, and when he is silent,
return him no reply; and if the Wali ask, 'What aileth thee that thou
answerest me not?' do thou rejoin, 'O lord and master[FN#33] know
that the two words are not alike, but there is no helper for the
conquered one[FN#34] save Allah Almighty.' The Kazi will cry, 'What
is the meaning of thy saying, The two words are not alike?' And do
thou retort, 'I deposited with thee a damsel from the palace of the
Sultan, and most likely some enemy of hers in thy household hath
transgressed against her or she hath been secretly murdered. Verily,
there were on her raiment and ornaments worth a thousand ducats, and
hadst thou put to the question those who are with thee of slaves and
slave-girls, needs must thou have litten on some traces of the crime.'
When he heareth this from thee, his trouble will redouble and he will be
amated and will make oath that thou hast no help for it but to go with
him to his house: however, do thou say, 'That will I not do, for I am the
party aggrieved, more especially because I am under suspicion with
thee.' If he redouble in calling on Allah's aid and conjure thee by the
oath of divorce saying, 'Thou must assuredly come,' do thou reply, 'By
Allah, I will not go, unless the Chief also go with me.' Then, as