In the evening I repaired to the house of my wife, and found the old lady waiting as usual at the accustomed spot.  She tied the handkerchief over my eyes, and when she had conducted me home, took it off.  I found my wife sitting upon her golden stool, but dressed in scarlet, and with an angry countenance; upon which I said to myself, “God grant all may be well.”  I approached her, took out the toy set with diamonds and rubies (thinking that on sight of it her ill-humour would vanish), and said, “My mistress, accept this, for it is curious, and I purchased it for thee.”  She took it into her hand, and examined it on all sides; after which she exclaimed, “Didst thou really purchase this on my account?” “By heavens,” replied I, “I bought it for thy sake, for a thousand deenars.”  Upon this she frowned angrily upon me, and exclaimed, “What means that wound upon thy cheek?” I was overwhelmed with confusion.

While I was in this state, she called out to her attendants, who immediately descended the staircase, carrying the headless corpse of a young girl, the head placed upon the middle of the body.  I looked, and knew it to be the head of the damsel who had sold me the piece of jewelry for a kiss, and had bitten my cheek.  My wife now exclaimed, “I had no occasion for such baubles, for I have many of them; but I wished to know if thou wert so faithful to thy agreement with me, as not to address another woman than myself, and sent the girl to try thee.  Since thy promise has been broken, begone, and return no more.”

When my wife had finished her speech, the old woman took me by the hand, tied the handkerchief over my eyes, and conducted me to the usual spot, when she said, “Begone!” and disappeared.  I was so overcome by the sad adventure, and the loss of my wife, that I ran through the streets like one frantic, crying, “Ah, what beauty, what grace, what elegance did she possess!” upon which, the people, supposing me distracted, conducted me to this hospital, and bound me in fetters, as you see.

When the sultan had heard the young man’s story, he was much affected, inclined his head for some instants in deep thought, then said to his vizier, “By Allah, who has intrusted me with sovereignty, if thou dost not discover the lady who married this young man, thy head shall be forfeited.”  The vizier was alarmed, but recovering himself, replied, “Allow me three days to search,” to which the sultan consented.  The vizier then took with him the young man, and for two days was at a loss how to find out the house.  At length he inquired if he should know the spot where the handkerchief was tied over his eyes, and the gateway at which it was taken off, of both which the youth professed to be certain.  He conducted the minister to the street where he was blindfolded, and they reached a gateway, at which the vizier knocked.  It was opened by the domestics, who knowing the vizier, and seeing the young man with him, were alarmed, and ran to communicate the quality of the visitants to their mistress.  She desired to know the commands of the vizier, who informed her, that it was the sultan’s pleasure she should be reconciled to her husband; to which she replied, “Since the sultan hath commanded, my duty is obedience.”  The young man was reunited to his wife, who was the daughter of a former sultan of Cairo.