So she arose and returned to her house, whilst El Merouzi abode in his place till the night was half spent, when he said to himself, ’How long [is this to last]?  Yet how can I let this knavish dog die and lose the money?  Methinks I were better open the tomb on him and bring him forth and take my due of him by dint of grievous beating and torment.’  Accordingly, he dug him up and pulled him forth of the tomb; after which he betook himself to an orchard hard by the burial-ground and cut thence staves and palm sticks.  Then he tied the dead man’s legs and came down on him with the staff and beat him grievously; but he stirred not.  When the time grew long on him, his shoulders became weary and he feared lest some one of the watch should pass on his round and surprise him.  So he took up Er Razi and carrying him forth of the cemetery, stayed not till he came to the Magians’ burying-place and casting him down in a sepulchre[FN#42] there, rained heavy blows upon him till his shoulders failed him, but the other stirred not Then he sat down by his side and rested; after which he rose and renewed the beating upon him, [but to no better effect; and thus he did] till the end of the night

Now, as destiny would have it, a band of thieves, whose use it was, whenas they had stolen aught, to resort to that place and divide [their booty], came thither [that night], as of their wont; and they were ten in number and had with them wealth galore, which they were carrying.  When they drew near the sepulchre, they heard a noise of blows within it and the captain said, ‘This is a Magian whom the angels[FN#43] are tormenting.’  So they entered [the burial-ground] and when they came over against El Merouzi, he feared lest they should be the officers of the watch come upon him, wherefore he [arose and] fled and stood among the tombs.[FN#44] The thieves came up to the place and finding Er Razi bound by the feet and by him near seventy sticks, marvelled at this with an exceeding wonderment and said, ’God confound thee!  This was sure an infidel, a man of many crimes; for, behold, the earth hath rejected him from her womb, and by my life, he is yet fresh!  This is his first night [in the tomb] and the angels were tormenting him but now; so whosoever of you hath a sin upon his conscience, let him beat him, as a propitiatory offering to God the Most High.’  And the thieves said, ’We all have sins upon our consciences.’

So each of them went up to the [supposed] dead man and dealt him nigh upon a hundred blows, exclaiming the while, one, ’This is for[FN#45] my father!’ and another, ‘This is for my grandfather!’ whilst a third said, ‘This is for my brother!’ and a fourth, ‘This is for my mother!’ And they gave not over taking turns at him and beating him, till they were weary, what while El Merouzi stood laughing and saying in himself, ’It is not I alone who have entered into sin against him.  There is no power and no virtue save in God the Most High, the Supreme!’