The porter was well satisfied with the money he had received; but when he ought to have departed, he could not summon sufficient resolution for the purpose.  He was chained to the spot by the pleasure of beholding three such beauties, who appeared to him equally charming; for Amene having now laid aside her veil, proved to be as handsome as either of the others.  What surprised him most was, that he saw no man about the house, yet most of the provisions he had brought in, as the dry fruits, and the several sorts of cakes and confections, were adapted chiefly for those who could drink and make merry.

Zobeide thought at first, that the porter staid only to take breath, but perceiving that he remained too long, “What do you wait for,” said she, “are you not sufficiently paid?” And turning to Amene. she continued, “Sister, give him something more, that he may depart satisfied.”  “Madam,” replied the porter, “it is not that which detains me, I am already more than paid for my services; I am sensible that I act rudely in staying longer than I ought, but I hope you will the goodness to pardon me, when I tell you, that I am astonished not to see a man with three ladies of such extraordinary beauty:  and you know that a company of women without men is as melancholy as a company of men without women.”  To this he added several other pleasant things, to prove what he said, and did not forget the Bagdad proverb, “That the table is not completely furnished, except there be four in company:”  and so concluded, that since they were but three, they wanted another.

The ladies fell a laughing at the porter’s reasoning; after which Zobeide gravely addressed him, “Friend, you presume rather too much; and though you do not deserve that I should enter into any explanation with you, I have no objection to inform you that we are three sisters, who transact our affairs with so much secrecy that no one knows any thing of them.  We have but too much reason to be cautious of acquainting indiscreet persons with our counsel; and a good author that we have read, says, ‘Keep thy own secret, and do not reveal it to any one.  He that makes his secret known it no longer its master.  If thy own breast cannot keep thy counsel, how canst thou expect the breast of another to be more faithful?’”

“My ladies,” replied the porter, “by your very air, I judged at first that you were persons of extraordinary merit, and I conceive that I am not mistaken.  Though fortune has not given me wealth enough to raise me above my mean profession, yet I have not omitted to cultivate my mind as much as I could, by reading books of science and history; and allow me, I beseech you, to say, that I have also read in another author a maxim which I have always happily followed:  ‘We conceal our secret from such persons only as are known to all the world to want discretion, and would abuse our confidence; but we hesitate not to discover it to the prudent, because we know that with them it is safe.’  A secret in my keeping is as secure as if it were locked up in a cabinet, the key of which is lost, and the door sealed up.”