Now the magistrate knew of the theft of the pearls; so he bade clap the merchant in prison.  Accordingly they imprisoned him and flogged him, and he abode in the prison a whole year, till, by the ordinance of God the Most High, the Master of Police arrested one of the divers aforesaid and imprisoned him in the prison where the merchant lay.  He saw the latter and knowing him, questioned him of his case; whereupon he told them his story and that which had befallen him, and the diver marvelled at the sorriness of his luck.  So, when he came forth of the prison, he acquainted the Sultan with the merchant’s case and told him that it was he who had given him the pearls.  The Sultan bade bring him forth of the prison and questioned him of his story, whereupon he told him all that had befallen him and the Sultan pitied him and assigned him a lodging in his own palace, together with an allowance for his living.

Now the lodging in question adjoined the king’s house, and whilst the merchant was rejoicing in this and saying, ’Verily, my luck hath returned and I shall live in this king’s shadow the rest of my life,’ he espied an opening walled up with stones and clay.  So he pulled out the stones and clearing away the earth from the opening, found that it was a window giving upon the lodging of the king’s women.  When he saw this, he was affrighted and rising in haste, fetched clay and stopped it up again.  But one of the eunuchs saw him and misdoubting of him, repaired to the Sultan and told him of this.  So he came and seeing the stones pulled out, was wroth with the merchant and said to him, ’Is this my recompense from thee, that thou seekest to violate my harem?’ And he bade pluck out his eyes.  So they did as he commanded and the merchant took his eyes in his hand and said, ’How long [wilt thou afflict me], O star of ill-omen?  First my wealth and now my life!’ And he bewailed himself, saying, ’Endeavour profiteth me nought against evil fortune.  The Compassionate aided me not and endeavour was useless.’

On like wise, O king,” continued the youth, “whilst fortune was favourable to me, all that I did came to good; but now that it is grown contrary to me, everything turneth against me.”

When the youth had made an end of his story, the king’s anger subsided a little and he said, “Restore him to the prison, for the day draweth to an end, and tomorrow we will took into his affair.”

Of looking to the issues of affairs.

When it was the second day, the second of the king’s viziers, whose name was Beheroun, came in to him and said, “God advance the king!  This that yonder youth hath done is a grave matter and a foul deed and a heinous against the household of the king.”  So Azadbekht bade fetch the youth, because of the saying of the vizier; and when he came into his presence, he said to him, “Out on thee, O youth!  Needs must I slay thee by the worst of deaths, for