As I sat one day at the door of the Prefecture, behold, a woman
suddenly entered and said as though consulting me. "O my lord, I
am the wife of Such-an-one the Leach, and with him is a company
of the notables[FN#63] of the city, drinking fermented drinks in
such a place." When I heard this, I misliked to make a scandal;
so I bluffed her off and sent her away unsatisfied. Then I rose
and walked alone to the place in question and sat without till
the door opened, when I rushed in and entering, found the company
even as the woman aforesaid had set out, and she herself with
them. I saluted them and they returned my salam and rising,
treated me with honour and seated me and served me with meat.
Then I informed them how one had denounced them to me, but I had
driven him away and had come to them by myself; so they thanked
me and praising me for my kindness, brought out to me from among
them two thousand dirhams[FN#64] and I took them and went away.
Now two months after this adventure, there came to me one of the
Kazi's officers, with a paper, wherein was the judge's writ,
summoning me to him. So I accompanied the officer and went in to
the Kazi, whereupon the plaintiff, he who had taken out the
summons, sued me for two thousand dirhams, declaring I had
borrowed them of him as the agent or guardian of the woman. I
denied the debt, but he produced against me a bond for that sum,
attested by four of those who were in company on the occasion;
and they were present and bore witness to the loan. I reminded
them of my kindness and paid the amount, swearing that I would
never again follow a woman's counsel. Is not this marvellous? The
company admired the goodliness of his tale and it pleased