cheat upon her, till Mahziyah had tarried seven days
with the young man, of whom she took an hundred dinars
each day for herself; while he enjoyed all the solace
of life and coition. But at the end of this time,
the girl’s mother said to her, “Bring
my daughter back to me forthright; for I am uneasy
about her, because she hath been so long absent, and
I misdoubt me of this.” So the old woman
went out saying, “Woe to thee! shall such words
be spoken to the like of me?”; and, going to
the young man’s house, took the girl by the
hand and carried her away (leaving him lying asleep
on his bed, for he was drunken with wine) to her mother.
She received her with pleasure and gladness and seeing
her in redoubled beauty and brilliancy rejoiced in
her with exceeding joy, saying, “O my daughter,
my heart was troubled about thee and in my uneasiness
I offended against this my sister the Koranist with
a speech that wounded her.” Replied Mahziyah,
“Rise and kiss her hands and feet, for she hath
been to me as a servant in my hour of need, and if
thou do it not thou art no mamma of mine, nor am I
thy girl.” So the mother went up at once
to the old woman and made her peace with her.
Meanwhile, the young man recovered from his drunkenness
and missed the damsel, but congratulated himself on
having enjoyed his desire. Presently Miryam the
old Koranist came in to him and saluted him, saying,
“What thinkest thou of my feat?” Quoth
he, “Excellently well conceived and contrived
of thee was that same.” Then quoth she,
“Come, let us mend what we have marred and restore
this girl to her husband, for we have been the cause
of their separation and it is unrighteous.”
Asked he, “How shall I do?” and she answered,
“Go to Abu al-Fath’s shop and salute him
and sit down by him, till thou seest me pass by, when
do thou rise in haste and catch hold of my dress and
abuse me and threaten me, demanding of me the veil.
And do thou say to the merchant, ’Thou knowest,
O my lord, the face veil I bought of thee for fifty
dinars? It so chanced that my handmaid put it
on and burnt a corner of it by accident; so she gave
it to this old woman, who took it, promising to get
it fine-drawn[FN#236] and return it, and went away,
nor have I seen her from that day to this.’”
“With joy and good will,” replied the young
man, and rising forthright, walked to the shop of
the silk merchant, with whom he sat awhile till behold,
the old woman passed telling her beads on a rosary
she held in hand; whereupon he sprang up and laying
hold of her dress began to abuse and rail at her, whilst
she answered him with fair words, saying, “Indeed,
my son, thou art excusable.” So the people
of the bazaar flocked round the two, saying, “What
is the matter?” and he replied, “O folk,
I bought of this merchant a veil for fifty dinars
and gave it to my slave girl, who wore it awhile,
then sat down to fumigate it with perfume. Presently
a spark flew out of the censer and, lighting on the
edge of the veil, burnt a hole in it. So we committed