Supplemental Nights to The Book of the Thousand and One Nights | Page 6

me of my
case and I will say, 'I hail from the Citadel and am of the daughters of
the deputies[FN#15] and I came down into the town for a purpose; but
night overtook me all unawares and the Zuwaylah Gate[FN#16] was
shut against me and all the other portals and I knew not whither I
should 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-possession,[FN#17] the Chief of the watch will have no
ill suspicion of me, but will say, 'There's no help but that we leave her
with one who will take care of her till morning.' Thereto do thou rejoin,
''Twere best that she night with Amin al-Hukm and lie with his
wives[FN#18] and 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 and compassed the city, till we came
to the street[FN#19] where was the woman, and it was the middle of
the night. Here we smelt mighty rich scents and heard the clink of rings:
so I said to my comrades, "Methinks I espy a spectre;" 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
have 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
cleanness and goodly fashion of ordinance, knew that it belonged to a
great man[FN#20] 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![FN#21] My house is no strong box[FN#22] and on
this woman are trinkets and fine clothing. By Allah, we will not deposit
the lady save with Amin al-Hukm, in whose street she hath been since
the first starkening of the darkness; therefore do thou leave her with
him till the break of day." He rejoined, "Do whatso thou willest." So I
rapped at the Kazi's gate 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 al-Din 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;[FN#23]
wherefore I suggested 'twere meetest she night 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
Kazi Amin al-Hukm, leaning on two of his negro slaves; and he was
crying out and calling for aid and saying, "O Emir, crafty and
perfidious, yesternight 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,[FN#24] six
great bags, each containing a thousand dinars,[FN#25] and made off;
but as for me, I will say no syllable to thee except in the Soldan's
presence."[FN#26] When the Wali 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 Mu'in al-Din." So the
Kazi turned to me and said, "Thou wast of accord to practice upon me
with this woman, for she said she came from the Citadel." As for me, I
stood, with my head bowed ground-wards, forgetting both Sunnah and
Farz,[FN#27] and remained sunk in thought, saying, "How came I to be
the dupe of that randy wench?" Then cried the Emir to me, "What
aileth thee that thou answerest 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 have patience with me
so long, and if,