searching for thee and in the night I watch its stars and
planets?"[FN#30] Cried she, "Naught shall betide save weal, and
thou shalt get the better of him."[FN#31] So saying, she rose and
going to a chest, drew out therefrom six bags full of gold and
said to me, "This is what I took from Amin al-Hukm's house. So an
thou wilt, restore it; else the whole is lawfully[FN#32] thine;
and if thou desire other than this, thou shalt obtain it; for I
have monies in plenty and I had no design herein save to marry
thee." Then she arose and opening other chests, brought out
therefrom wealth galore and I said to her, "O my sister, I have
no wish for all this, nor do I want aught except to be quit of
that wherein I am." Quoth she, "I came not forth of the Kazi's
house without preparing for thine acquittance." Then said she to
me, "When the morrow shall morn and Amin al-Hukm shall come to
thee bear with him till he have made an end of his speech, and
when he is silent, return him no reply; and if the Wali ask,
'What aileth thee that thou answerest me not?' do thou rejoin, 'O
lord and master[FN#33] know that the two words are not alike, but
there is no helper for the conquered one[FN#34] save Allah
Almighty.' The Kazi will cry, 'What is the meaning of thy saying,
The two words are not alike?' And do thou retort, 'I deposited
with thee a damsel from the palace of the Sultan, and most likely
some enemy of hers in thy household hath transgressed against her
or she hath been secretly murdered. Verily, there were on her
raiment and ornaments worth a thousand ducats, and hadst thou put
to the question those who are with thee of slaves and
slave-girls, needs must thou have litten on some traces of the
crime.' When he heareth this from thee, his trouble will redouble
and he will be amated and will make oath that thou hast no help
for it but to go with him to his house: however, do thou say,