Here the vizier took the caliph aside, and whispered to him thus:  Sir, the night will soon be at an end, and if your majesty will only be pleased to have so much patience, I will take these ladies to-morrow morning, and bring them before your throne, where you may be informed of all you desire to know.  Though this advice was very judicious, the caliph rejected it, bid the vizier hold his tongue, and said he would not stay till then, but would have satisfaction in the matter presently.

The next business was to know who should carry the message.  The caliph endeavoured to prevail with the calenders to speak first; but they excused themselves, and at last they agreed that the porter should be the man.  And as they were consulting how to word this fatal question, Zobeide returned from her sister Amine, who was recovered of her fit, drew near them, and having overheard them speaking pretty loud, and with some passion, says, Gentlemen, what is the subject of your discourse? what are you disputing about?

The porter answered immediately, Madam, these gentlemen pray you to let them understand wherefore you wept over your two bitches, after you whipped them so severely, and how the bosom of the lady, who lately fainted away, comes to be so full of scars?  This is what I am ordered to ask in their name.

At these words, Zobeide looked with a stern countenance, and, turning towards the caliph and the rest of the company, Is it true, gentlemen, says she, that you have given him orders to ask me this question?  All of them, except Giafar, who spoke not a word, answered, Yes.  On which she told them, in a tone which sufficiently expressed her resentment, Before we granted you the favour of being received into our house, and to prevent all occasion of trouble from you, because we are alone, we did it upon condition that you should not speak of any thing that did not concern you, lest you might come to hear that which would not please you; and yet, after having received and entertained you as well as possibly we could, you make no scruple to break your promise.  It is true that our easy temper has occasioned this, but that shall not excuse you, for your proceedings are very unhandsome.  As she spoke these words, she gave three hard knocks with her foot, and, clapping her hands as often together, cried, Come quick!  Upon this a door flew open, and seven strong sturdy black slaves, with scimitars in their hands, rushed in; every one seized a man, threw him on the ground, and dragged him into the middle of the room in order to cut off his head.

We may easily conceive what a fright the caliph was in; he then repented, but too late, that he had not taken his vizier’s advice.  In the mean time this unhappy prince, Giafar, Mesrour, the porter, and the calenders, were upon the point of losing their lives by their indiscreet curiosity.  But, before they would strike the fatal blow, one of the slaves says to Zobeide and her sisters, High, mighty, and