Wali and the watch, who were going round the town by night, met him face to face; and as soon as they saw him all rushed at him in a body and seizing him bore him to the gaol.  Here we leave speaking of him; and now return we to Ja’afar and what befel him.  After he had set out from Damascus and sent back Attaf from the Dome of the Birds he said in his mind, “Thou art about to consummate marriage with a damsel and to travel until thou shalt reach Baghdad, so meanwhile up and take thee an ewer of water and make the Wuzu and pray.”  However, as he purposed that evening to go in unto the wife of Attaf, controversy forewent compliments[FN#364] and the tent-pitchers, who were sent on to the next station to set up the pavilion of the bride and the other tents.  Ja’afar took patience until every eye however wakeful waxed sleep-full, at which time he rose up and went in to Attaf’s wife who, the moment she saw him enter, covered her face with her hands as from a stranger.  “The Peace be upon thee!” said he and said she, “With thee also be The Peace and the ruth of Allah and His blessings.”  Then he continued, “O daughter of my father’s brother[FN#365] why hast thou placed thy hand upon thy face? in the lawful there be naught of shameful.”  “True, O my lord,” she replied, “but Modesty is a part of Religion.  If to one the like of thee it be a light matter that the man who guested thee and served thee with his coin and his case be treated on this wise and thou have the heart to take his mate from him, then am I but a slave between thy hands.”  “Art thou the divorced wife of Attaf?” asked Ja’afar, and she answered, “I am.”  Quoth he, “And why did thy husband on such wise?” and quoth she, “The while I stood watering plants at the window, thy Highness deigned look upon me and thou toldest thy love to Attaf, who forthright put me away and made me wife to thy Worship.  And this is wherefore I conceal from thee my face.”  Ja’afar cried, “Thou art now unlawful to him and licit to me; but presently thou shalt become illicit to me and legitimate to thy husband; so from this time forth thou art dearer and more honorable to me than my eyes and my mother and my sister.  But for the moment thy return to Damascus is not possible for fear of foolish tongues lest they prattle and say, ’Attaf went forth to farewell Ja’afar, and his wife lay the night with the former, and thus have the back-bones had a single lappet.’[FN#366] However I will bear thee to Baghdad where I will stablish thee in a spacious and well furnished lodging with ten slave girls and eunuchs to serve thee; and, as long as thou abide with me, I will give thee[FN#367] every day five golden ducats and every month a suit of sumptuous clothes.  Moreover everything in thy lodging shall be thine; and whatever gifts and offerings be made to thee they shall be thy property, for the folk will fancy thee to be my bride and will entertain thee and escort thee to the Hammams and present thee with sumptuous dresses.  After this fashion