We continued to drink on; but as the wine grew warm in our stomachs, the stranger lady and I ogled one another with so little reserve, that her friend grew jealous, and quickly gave us a dismal proof of her jealousy.  She rose from the table, and went out, saying she would be with us presently again; but a few moments after, the lady that staid with me changed her countenance, fell into violent convulsions, and, in fine, expired in my arms, while I was calling to the people to come and assist me in relieving her.  Immediately I went out, and asked for the other lady; and my people told me she had opened the street-door, and gone out of doors.  Then I suspected she had been the cause of her friend’s death.  In fine, she had the dexterity and the malice to put some strong poison into the last glass, which she gave her out of her own hand.  I was afflicted to the last degree with the accident.  What shall I do? thinks I within myself:  What will become of me?  I thought there was no time to lose, and so, it being then moon-light, made my servants quietly take up a great piece of marble, with which the yard of my house was paved; under that I made them dig a hole presently, and there inter the corpse of the young lady.  After replacing the stone, I put on a travelling suit, and took what silver I had; and, having locked up every thing, affixed my own seal to the door of my house.  This done, I went to seek for the jewel merchant, my landlord, paid him what rent I owed, with a year’s rent more; and giving him the key, prayed him to keep it for me:  a very urgent affair, said I, obliges me to be absent for some time; I am under the necessity of going to find out my uncles at Cairo.  I took my leave of him, and that very moment mounted my horse, and set out with my equipage.

I had a good journey, and arrived at Cairo without any ill accident.  There I met with my uncles, who were much surprised to see me.  To excuse myself, I pretended that I was tired staying for them; and, hearing nothing of them, was so uneasy that I could not be satisfied without coming to Cairo.  They received me very kindly, and promised my father should not be angry with me for leaving Damascus without his permission.  I lodged in the same khan with them, and saw all the curiosities of Cairo.  Having finished their traffic, they began to speak of returning to Moussol, and to make preparations for their departure.  But I, having yet a mind to see something in Egypt, left my uncles, and went to lodge at a great distance from the khan, and did not appear till they were gone.  They had sought for me all over the city; but, not finding me, they judged the remorse of having come to Egypt without my father’s consent, had induced me to return to Damascus, without saying any thing to them.  So they began their journey, expecting to find me at Damascus, and there to take me up.