Next morning, he again took up the bier and went round with it as before, in quest of alms.  Presently, the master of police, who was of those who had given alms on account of the supposed dead man on the previous day, met him; so he was angered and fell on the porters and beat them and took the [supposed] dead body, saying, ’I will bury him and earn the reward [of God].’[FN#35] So his men took him up and carrying him to the prefecture, fetched grave-diggers, who dug him a grave.  Then they bought him a shroud and perfumes[FN#36] and fetched an old man of the quarter, to wash him.  So he recited over him [the appointed prayers and portions of the Koran] and laying him on the bench, washed him and shrouded him.  After he had shrouded him, he voided;[FN#37] so he renewed the washing and went away to make his ablutions,[FN#38] whilst all the folk departed, likewise, to make the [obligatory] ablution, previously to the funeral.

When the dead man found himself alone, he sprang up, as he were a Satan, and donning the washer’s clothes,[FN#39] took the bowls and water-can and wrapped them up in the napkins.  Then be took his shroud under his arm and went out.  The doorkeepers thought that he was the washer and said to him, ’Hast thou made an end of the washing, so we may tell the Amir?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the sharper and made off to his lodging, where he found El Merouzi soliciting his wife and saying to her, ’Nay, by thy life, thou wilt never again look upon his face; for that by this time he is buried.  I myself escaped not from them but after travail and trouble, and if he speak, they will put him to death.’  Quoth she, ‘And what wilt thou have of me?’ ‘Accomplish my desire of thee,’ answered he, ’and heal my disorder, for I am better than thy husband.’  And he fell a-toying with her.

When Er Razi heard this, he said, ’Yonder wittol lusteth after my wife; but I will do him a mischief.’  Then he rushed in upon them, and when El Merouzi saw him, he marvelled at him and said to him, ‘How didst thou make thine escape?’ So he told him the trick he had played and they abode talking of that which they had collected from the folk [by way of alms], and indeed they had gotten great store of money.  Then said El Merouzi, ’Verily, mine absence hath been prolonged and fain would I return to my own country.’  Quoth Er Rasi,’ As thou wilt;’ and the other said, ’Let us divide the money we have gotten and do thou go with me to my country, so I may show thee my tricks and my fashions.’  ’Come to-morrow,’ replied Er Razi, ‘and we will divide the money.’

So El Merouzi went away and the other turned to his wife and said to her, ’We have gotten us great plenty of money, and yonder dog would fain take the half of it; but this shall never be, for that my mind hath been changed against him, since I heard him solicit thee; wherefore I purpose to play him a trick and enjoy all the money; and do not thou cross me.’ ’ It is well,’ answered she, and he said to her, ’[To-morrow] at day-peep I will feign myself dead and do thou cry out and tear thy hair, whereupon the folk will flock to me.  Then lay me out and bury me, and when the folk are gone away [from the burial-place], do thou dig down to me and take me; and have no fear for me, for I can abide two days in the tomb [without hurt].’  And she answered, ‘Do what thou wilt.’