she said to the lady, “Make ready the early meal and forget not the wine and adorn thyself and don thy richest dress and decoration, whilst I go and fetch him to thee.”  So she clad herself in her finest finery and prepared food, whilst the old woman went out to look for the young man, who came not.  So she went around searching for him, but could come by no news of him, and she said to herself, “What is to be done?  Shall the food and drink she hath gotten ready be wasted and I lose the gold pieces she promised me?  Indeed, I will not allow my cunning contrivance to come to naught, but will look her out another man and carry him to her.”  So she walked about the highways till her eyes fell on a pretty fellow, young and distinguished-looking, to whom the folk bowed and who bore in his face the traces of travel.  She went up to him and saluting him, asked, “Hast thou a mind to meat and drink and a girl adorned and ready?” Answered he, “Where is this to be had?” “At home, in my house,” rejoined she and carrying him to his own house, knocked at the door.  The lady opened to them and ran in again, to make an end of her dressing and perfuming; whilst the wicked old woman brought the man, who was the husband and house-master, into the saloon and made him sit down congratulating herself on her cunning contrivance.  Presently in walked the lady, who no sooner set eyes on her husband sitting by the old trot than she knew him and guessed how the case stood; nevertheless, she was not taken aback and without stay or delay bethought her of a device to hoodwink him.  So she pulled off her outer boot and cried at her husband, “Is this how thou keepest the contract between us?  How canst thou betray me and deal thus with me?  Know that, when I heard of thy coming, I sent this old woman to try thee and she hath made thee fall into that against which I warned thee:  so now I am certified of thine affair and that thou hast broken faith with me.  I thought thee chaste and pure till I saw thee, with my own eyes, in this old woman’s company and knew that thou didst frequent loose baggages.”  So saying, she fell to beating him with her slipper about the head, and crying out, “Divorce me!  Divorce me!”; whilst he excused himself and swore to her, by Allah the Most High, that he had never in his life been untrue to her nor had done aught of that whereof she suspected him.  But she stinted not to weep and scream and bash him, crying out and saying, “Come to my help, O Moslems!”; till he laid hold of her mouth with his hand and she bit it.  Moreover, he humbled himself to her and kissed her hands and feet, whilst she would not be appeased and continued to cuff him.  At last, she winked at the old woman to come and hold her hand from him.  So she came up to her and kissed her hands and feet, till she made peace between them and they sat down together; whereupon the husband began to kiss her hands, saying, “Allah Almighty requite thee with all good, for that thou hast delivered me from her!” And the old woman marvelled at the wife’s cunning and ready wit.  “This, then, O King” (said the Wazir) “is one of many instances of the craft and malice and perfidy of women.”  When the King heard this story, he was persuaded by it and turned from his purpose to slay his son;—­ And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.