high and low, but found nothing; whereupon fear gat hold upon me and the prefect turned to me and said, “Out on thee, O ill-omened fellow!  Thou puttest us to shame before the men.”  And I wept and went round about right and left, with the tears running down my face, till we were about to go forth and drew near the door of the house.  I looked at the place [behind the door] and said, “What is yonder dark place that I see?” And I said to the sergeants, “Lift up this jar with me.”  They did as I bade them and I saw somewhat appearing under the jar and said, “Rummage and see what is under it.”  So they searched and found a woman’s veil and trousers full of blood, which when I beheld, I fell down in a swoon.

When the prefect saw this, he said, “By Allah, the captain is excused!” Then my comrades came round about me and sprinkled water on my face, [till I came to myself,] when I arose and accosting the Cadi, who was covered with confusion, said to him, “Thou seest that suspicion is fallen on thee, and indeed this affair is no light matter, for that this woman’s family will assuredly not sit down under her loss.”  Therewith the Cadi’s heart quaked and he knew that the suspicion had reverted upon him, wherefore his colour paled and his limbs smote together; and he paid of his own money, after the measure of that which he had lost, so we would hush up the matter for him.[FN#106] Then we departed from him in peace, whilst I said in myself, “Indeed, the woman deceived me not.”

After that I tarried till three days had elapsed, when 1 went to the bath and changing my clothes, betook myself to her house, but found the door locked and covered with dust.  So I questioned the neighbours of her and they said, “This house hath been empty these many days; but three days agone there came a woman with an ass, and yesternight, at eventide, she took her gear and went away.”  So I turned back, confounded in my wit, and every day [after this, for many a day,] I inquired of the inhabitants [of the street] concerning her, but could light on no tidings of her.  And indeed I marvelled at the eloquence of her tongue and [the readiness of] her speech; and this is the most extraordinary of that which hath betided me.’

When El Melik ez Zahir heard Muineddin’s story, he marvelled thereat Then rose another officer and said, ’O lord, bear what befell me in bygone days.

The second officer’s story.

I was once an officer in the household of the Amir Jemaleddin El Atwesh El Mujhidi, who was invested with the governance of the Eastern and Western districts,[FN#107] and I was dear to his heart and he concealed from me nought of that which he purposed to do; and withal he was master of his reason.[FN#108] It chanced one day that it was reported to him that the daughter of such an one had wealth galore and raiment and jewels and she loved a Jew, whom every day she invited to be private with her, and they passed the day eating