The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 16 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 591 pages of information about The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 16.

The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 16 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 591 pages of information about The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 16.
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. 
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The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 16 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.