quoth the Caliph, “I will marry the maid, and
by me is all thou canst desire of gold and what not.”
She retorted, “O Robber,[FN#123] all I see upon
thee is not worth two hundred dirhams: whence
then canst thou procure four thousand dinars?”
Quoth he, “Hast thou grapes to sell, or wishest
thou only to breed a quarrel between me and the vineyard-keeper?"[FN#124]
and quoth she, “Doubtless I have and hold the
grapes.” “Then, I possess all thou
canst desire, said he, and said she, “Then, we
will wed thee when thou shalt have weighed out the
gold.” The Caliph cried, “I accept;”
and anon entering the lodging he took seat at the
head of the chamber and in its place of honour, and
said to the house-mistress, “Go thou to Kazi
Such-an-one and tell him that Al-Bundukani requireth
him.” “O Robber,” said she,
“will the Kazi be content to come at thy bidding?”
The Commander of the Faithful laughed at these words
and said, “Do thou go without danger and bid
him bring his ink-case and pens and paper.”
So she went off saying to herself, “Verily,
an the Judge accompany me, this my son-in-law must
be a Captain of Robbers."[FN#125] But when at last
she arrived at the Kazi’s mansion she saw him
sitting in the middle of the room and surrounded by
doctors of divinity and a host of learned wights:
so she feared to enter, and fell to looking in through
the doorway and she dreaded to fare farther and stepped
backwards; withal she kept saying, “How shall
I go home without speaking a word to the Kazi?”
and the thought would hearten her heart, so she would
return to the entrance and thrust in her head and
then withdraw it. On such wise she had done many
a time when the Kazi, catching sight of her, bade
one of his messengers bring her within; so the man
went to her and said, “Bespeak the Kazi!”
So she went in full of affright and salam’d
to the Judge who, returning her salutation, asked
her, “What is thy want, O woman?” She answered,
“There is a young man in my house who desireth
that thou come to him;” whereat he rejoined,
“And who may be this youth that I in person
should hie to him; and what may be his name?”
She replied, “He pretendeth to the name of Al-Bundukani—the
Arbalestrier” (which was a by-name of the Caliph
kept concealed from the folk but well known to all
officials). Hereat the Kazi sprang to his feet
without stay or delay and said to her, “O my
lady, do thou forego me,” whilst all present
asked him, “O our lord, whither away?”
and he, answering them, “A need hath suddenly
occurred,” went forth. Then quoth the crone
in her mind, “Hapless the Kazi who is a pleasant
person, haply this son-in-law of mine hath given him
to drink of clotted gore[FN#126] by night in some place
or other and the poor man hath yet a fear of him;
otherwise what is the worth of this Robber that the
Judge should hie to his house?” When they reached
the door, the Kazi bade the ancient dame precede him;[FN#127]
so she went in and called to him and he on entering
saw the Caliph seated at the head of the chamber.