to the slaughter of whosoever knoweth what is between the fellow and my mother.”  But Salma said, “I fear lest an thou slay him in our dwelling-place and he be not convicted of robberhood, suspicion and ill-fame will revert upon ourselves, and we cannot be assured that he belongeth not to a tribe whose mischief is to be feared and whose enmity is to be dreaded, and thus wilt thou have fled from hidden shame to open shame and to disgrace public and abiding.”  Asked Salim:  “What then is it thy rede to do?” And she answered, “Is there no help but thou kill him?  Let us not hasten unto slaughter, for that the slaughter of a soul without just cause is a mighty grave matter.”  When Shahban[FN#526] heard this, he said within himself, “By Allah, I have indeed been hasty and reckless in the slaying of women and girls, and Alhamdolillah—­lauded be the Lord—­who hath occupied me with this damsel from the slaughter of souls, for that the slaughter of souls is a grave matter and a grievous!  By the Almighty if Shah Bakht spare the Wazir, I will assuredly spare Shahrazad!"[FN#527] Then he gave ear to the story and heard her say to her sister:—­Quoth Salma to Salim, “Hasten not to slay him, but overthink the matter and consider the issue whereto it may tend; for whoso considereth not of actions the end hath not Fortune to friend.”  Then they arose on the morrow and busied themselves with contriving how they should turn away their parent from that man, and the mother forefelt mischief from them, for what she saw in their eyes of change, she being wily and keen of wit.  So she took precaution for herself against her children and Salma said to Salim, “Thou seest what we have fallen upon through this woman, and very sooth she hath sensed our purpose and wotteth that we have discovered her secret.  So, doubtless, she will plot against us the like of that which we plot for her; for indeed up to now she had concealed her affair, and from this time forth she will become harsh to us; wherefore, methinks, there is a thing forewritten to us, whereof Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) knew in His foreknowledge and wherein He carrieth out His commandments.”  He asked, “What is that?” and she answered, “It is that we arise, I and thou, and go forth this night from this land and seek us a town wherein we may wone and witness naught of the doings of yonder traitress; for whoso is absent from the eye is absent from the heart, and quoth one of the poets in the following couplet:[FN#528]—­

’Tis happiest, best for thee, the place to leave, * For then no
     eye can see, nor heart can grieve.”

Quoth Salim to her,[FN#529] “’Tis for thee to decide and right is thy rede; so let us do this, in the name of Allah the Almighty, trusting in Him for guiding and grace.”  Accordingly they arose and took the richest of their raiment and the lightest of that which was in their treasuries of gems and things of price and gathered together much matter.  Then they equipped them ten mules