Speaker 1: Told by the Constable from the thousand and one knights.
Know ye that when I entered the service of this
ame Mer, I had a great repute, and every low
fellow lud feared me most of all mankind. And when
I rode through the city, each and every of the
folk would point at me with their fingers and sign
it me with their eyes. It happened one day as
I sat in the palace of the Prefecture, back propped
against a wall, considering in myself, suddenly there fell somewhat
in my lap, and behold, it was a purse, sealed
and tied. So I hinted in hand, and lo it
had in it a hundred dirhams. But I found not
who threw it, and I said, lauded be the Lord,
the king of the kingdoms. Another day, as I sat
in the same way, somewhat fell on me and startled me,
and look I twas a purse like the first. I
took it, and, hiding the matter, made as though I slept,
albeit sleep was not with me. One day, as I
thus sham sleep, I suddenly sensed in my lap a hand,
and in it a purse of the finest. So I
seized the hand and behold twas that of a fair woman,
quoth I to her, O, my lady, who art thou?
And quoth she rise and come away from here, that
I may make myself known to thee. Presently I rose up, and,
following her, walked on without tarrying, till we stopped at
the door of a high builded house, whereupon I asked her, O,
my lady, who art thou. Indeed thou hast done me kindness?
And what is the reason of this? She answered by allah, O,
Captain Mouen, I am a woman on whom love and
longing are sore for desire of the daughter of the
Kasi Amen Alhakum. Now there was between me and her
what was and fondness for her fell upon my heart,
and I agreed upon an assignation with her according to
possibility and convenience. But her father Amen Alhacum took her
and went away, and my heart cleaveth to her, and
yearning and distraction wax sore upon me. For her sake,
I said to her, marveling the while at her words,
what wouldst thou have me do? And said she, O,
Captain Mouen, I would have THEE lend me helping hand.
Quoth I where am i? And where is the daughter
of the Kasi a Mien al Haacum. And quoth she
be assured that I would not have thee intrude upon
the Kasi's daughter, but I would fain work for the
winning of my wishes. This is my will and my
wont which may not be wrotten save by thine. Aid
Then she added, I mean this knight to go with
heart enheartened and high, or me bracelets and armlets and
anklets of price. Then will I hie me and sit
in the street wherein is the house of Amen al Hakum.
And when tis the season of the round and folk
are asleep, do thou pass thou and those who are
with thee of the men, And thou wilt see me sitting,
and on me find raiment and ornaments, and wilt smell
on me the odor of votars. Whereupon do thou question
me of my case? And I will say, I hail
from the citadel and am of the daughters of the Deputies.
And I came down into the town for a purpose.
But night overtook me all unawares, and the Zewalia gate
was shut against me. And all the other portals, and
I knew not whither I shall wend this night. Presently
I saw this street, and noting the goodly fashion of
its ordinance and its cleanliness, I sheltered me therein against
break of day. When I speak these words to thee
with complete self possess, the chief of the watch will
have no ill suspicion of me, but will say there
is no help, but that we leave her with one
who will take care of her till morning. There too,
do thou rejoin. Twere best that she knight with Amen
al Hakum and lie with his wives and his children
until dawn of day. Then straightway knock at the Kazi's door.
And thus shall I have secured admission into his house
without inconvenience, and won my wish and the peace. I
said to her, by Allah, this is an easy matter. So,
when the night was blackest, we rose to make our round,
followed by men with girded swords, and went about the
ways encompassing the city till we came to the street
where was the woman. And it was the middle of
the night where we smelled rich sense and heard the
clanking of rings. So I said to my comrades. Methinks
I espy a specter, and the captain of the watch cried,
see what it is. Accordingly, I undertook the work, and,
entering the thoroughfare, presently came out again and said, I've
found a fair woman. And she telleth me that she
is from the citadel, and that dark night surprised her.
And she saw this street, and noting its cleanliness and
goodly fashion of ordinance, knew that it belonged to a
great man, and that needs must there be in it
a guardian to keep watch over it. So she sheltered
her therein quoth the captain of the watch to me
take her and carry her to thy house. But quoth I,
I seek refuge with Allah. My house is no strong box.
And on this woman are trinkets in fine clothing. By Allah,
we will not deposit the ladies, save with Amen al Haacum,
in whose street she hath been since the first starkening
of the darkness. Therefore, do thou leave her with him
till break of day? He rejoined, do whatso thou willest?
So I rapped at the Kazi's gait, and out came
a black slave of his slaves to whom said I, O,
my Lord, take this woman and let her be with
you till day shall dawn. For that the lieutenant of
the Emir alam Aden hath found her with trinkets and
fine apparel on her, sitting at the door of your house.
And we feared lest her responsibility be upon you. Wherefore
I suggested twhere meetest she knight with you? So the
chattel opened and took her in with him. Now, when
the morning morrowed, the first who presented himself before the
Emir was the Kasi Amen al Haakum, leaning on two
of his Negro slaves, And he was crying out and
calling for aid, and saying, O, Emir, crafty and perfidious,
yester night, thou depositedst with me a woman, and broughtest
her into my house and home. And she arose in
the dark and took from me the monies of the
little orphans my wards, six great bags, each containing a
thousand dinars, and made off. But as for me, I
will say no syllable to thee except in the sa'adan's presence.
When the Walai heard these words, he was troubled and
rose and sat down in his agitation. Then he took
the judge, and, placing him by his side, soothed him
and exhorted him to patience till he had made an
end of talk. When he turned to the officers and
questioned them of that, they fixed the affair on me
and said, we know nothing of this matter but from
Captain Muen al Din. So the Kasi turned to me
and said, thoust of a cord to practice upon me
with this woman, for she said she came from the citadel.
As for me, I stood with my head bowed groundwards
forgetting both Suna and fars, and remained sunk in my thought,
saying how came I to be duped by that wily wench?
Then cried, amere to me, what aileth thee that thou
answrest not? Thereupon I replied, O, my lord, tis a
custom among the folk that he who hath a payment
to make at a certain date is allowed three days grace.
Do thou hat patience with me so long? And if
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 approv'd it as reasonable,
and the WILEI turned to the Kassi and swear 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 toing and froing about the world without purpose.
And indeed I was become the underling of a woman
without honesty or honor. And I went my rounds in
this way all that my day, and all that by night,
but happen not 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, and I knew her,
not she being veil when I met her. Then I
went round about the third day till the hour of
mid afternoon prayer, and sore waxed my cark in my care,
for I kennied 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 marveled
at the matter, and quoth she to me, I am
she whom thou depositedst with amen al hacoum 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 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 that
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 the planets.
Cried she, naught shall be tied save weal, and thou
shalt get the better of him. 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 Hacum's house, so an thou
wilt restore it else the is lawfully 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 chest, 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 from the Kazi's house without preparing for thine acquittance.
Then said she to me, when the morrow shall mourn
and Amen al Haacum 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 WILEI asks what aileth thee that thou answerest me,
not do thou rejoin? O, Lord and Master, know that
the two words are not alike. But there is no
helper for the conquer'd one, save Allah Almighty. The Kasi
will cry, what is the meaning of thy? Saying the
two words are not alike? And do thou retort. I
depositedest 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 hast 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 angered, 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 soon as thou
comest to the house, begin by searching the terrace ruths.
Then rummage the closets and cabinets. And if thou find nought,
humble thyself before the Kasi and be abject and feign
thyself subjected. And after examine well the door, because there
is a dark corner there. Then come forward with heart
harder than say Nit's stone, and lay hold upon Ajar
of the jars, and raise it from its place. Thou
wilt find there under it a man tili skirt. Bring
it out publicly, and call the while ie in a
loud voice before those who are present. Then open it,
and thou wilt find it full of blood, and therein
a woman's walking boots and somewhat of linen. When I
heard from her these words, I rose to go out,
and she said to me, take these hundred sequins, so
they may socer thee, and such is my guest gift
to thee. Accordingly I took them, and, leaving her door,
Ajar returned to my lodging. Next morning, up came the judge,
with his face like the jocks eye, and asked, in
the name of Allah, where is my debtor and where
is my property? Then he wept and cried out and
said to the WALLEI, where is that ill omened fellow
who aboundeth in robbery and villany. Thereupon the chief turned
to me and said, why dost thou not answer the Kassi?
And I replied, O, Emir, the two heads are not equal,
and I I have no helper, but an the right
be on my side, twill appear. At this the Judge
grew hotter of temper and cried out, woe to thee.
O ill omened, Wait, how will thou make manifest that
the right is on thy side? I replied, O, our lord,
the Kasi I depositeds with thee and in thy charge
a woman whom we found at thy door, and on
her raiment and ornaments of price. Now she is gone,
even as yesterday is gone. And after this thou turnest
upon us and suest me for six thousand gold pieces.
By Allah, this is none other than a mighty great wrong,
And assuredly some foe of hers in thy household hath
transgressed against her. With this, the Judge's wrath redoubled, and
he swore, by the most solemn of oaths, that I
should go with him and search his house. I replied,
by Allah, I will not go unless the while I
go with us, for an thee be present, he and
the officers, Thou wilt not dare to work thy wicked
will upon me. So the Kasi rose and swore, saying,
by the truth of Him who created mankind, we will
not go but with the Amir. Accordingly we repaired to
the judge's house, accompanied by the chief, and going up,
searched it through, but found nought. Whereat fear fell upon
me and the while I turned to me and said,
fie upon thee, O ill omened fellow, Thou hast putest
to shame before the men all this, and I wept
and went round about right and left with tears running
down my face, till we were about to go forth,
and drew near the door of the house. I looked
at the place which the woman had mentioned and asked,
what is yonder place? I see? Then said I to
the men, pull up this jar with me. They did
my bidding, and I saw somewhat appearing under the jar,
and said, rummage and look at what is under it.
So they searched, and behold they came upon a woman's
mantilla and walking boots stained with blood, which when I espied,
I fell I down and fainting fit. Now, when the
Walleyes saw this, he said, by Allah, the captain is excused.
Then my comrades came round about me and sprinkled water
on my face till I recovered. When I arose, I
accosted the Kasi, who was covered with confusion, said to him,
thou seest that suspicion is fallen on thee, And indeed
this affair is no light matter, because this woman's family
will assuredly not sit down quietly under her loss. Therewith
the Kazi's heart quaked and fluttered, for that he knew
the suspicion had reverted upon him. Wherefore his color yellowed
and his limbs smoked together, and he paid of his
own money after the measure of that he had lost,
so we would quench that fire for him. Then we
departed from him in peace, whilst I said within myself,
indeed the woman false me. Not After that, I tarried
till three days had passed, when I went to the
hamam and changed my clothes, betook myself to her home,
but found the door shut and covered with dust. So
I asked the neighbors of her, and they answered, this
house hath been empty inhabitants these many days. But three
days agone there came a woman with an ass and
at supper time last night, she took her gear and
went away. Hereat I turned back, bewildered in my wit.
And for many days after I inquired of the dwellers
in that street concerning her, but could happen on no
tidings of her. And indeed I wondered at the eloquence
of her tongue in the readiness of her talk. And
this is the most admirable of all I've seen. And
whatso hath betided me? And