Then he sent for the viziers and said to them, ’O wicked viziers, ye thought that God was heedless of your deed, but your wickedness shall revert upon you.  Know ye not that whoso diggeth a pit for his brother shall fall into it?  Take from me the punishment of this world and to-morrow ye shall get the punishment of the world to come and requital from God.’  Then he bade put them to death; so [the headsman] smote off their heads before the king, and he went in to his wife and acquainted her with that wherein he had transgressed against Abou Temam; whereupon she grieved for him with an exceeding grief and the king and the people of his household left not weeping and repenting all their lives.  Moreover, they brought Abou Temam forth of the well and the king built him a dome[FN#127] in his palace and buried him therein.

See, then, O august king,” continued the youth, “what envy doth and injustice and how God caused the viziers’ malice revert upon their own necks; and I trust in God that He will succour me against all who envy me my favour with the king and show forth the truth unto him.  Indeed, I fear not for my life from death; only I fear lest the king repent of my slaughter, for that I am guiltless of offence, and if I knew that I were guilty of aught, my tongue would be mute.”

When the king heard this, he bowed [his head] in perplexity and confusion and said, “Carry him back to the prison till the morrow, so we may look into his affair.”

The Ninth Day

Of destiny or that which is written on the
forehead.

When it was the ninth day, the viziers [foregathered and] said, one to another, “Verily, this youth baffleth us, for as often as the king is minded to put him to death, he beguileth him and ensorcelleth him with a story; so what deem ye we should do, that we may slay him and be at rest from him?” Then they took counsel together and were of accord that they should go to the king’s wife [and prompt her to urge the king to slaughter the youth.  So they betook themselves to her] and said to her, “Thou art heedless of this affair wherein thou art and this heedlessness will not profit thee; whilst the king is occupied with eating and drinking and diversion and forgetteth that the folk beat upon tabrets and sing of thee and say, ’The king’s wife loveth the youth;’ and what while he abideth on life, the talk will increase and not diminish.”  Quoth she, “By Allah, it was ye set me on against him, and what shall I do [now]?” And they answered, “Do thou go in to the king and weep and say to him, ’Verily, the women come to me and tell me that I am become a byword in the city, and what is thine advantage in the sparing of this youth?  If thou wilt not slay him, slay me, so this talk may be estopped from us.’”