Al-Malik al-Zahir; and the Wali said, "By Allah, this is a
strange story!" Then came forward the sixth constable and said to
those present, "Hear my adventure and that which befel me, to
wit, that which befel Such-an-one the Assessor, for 'tis rarer
than this and finer."




The Sixth Constable's History.



A certain Assessor one day of the days was taken with a woman and
much people assembled before his house and the Lieutenant of
police and his posse came to him and rapped at the door. The
Assessor peered from house-top and seeing the folk, said, "What
do ye want?" Replied they, "Speak with the Lieutenant of police
Such-an-one." So he came down and as he opened the door they
cried to him, "Bring forth the woman who is with thee." "Are ye
not ashamed? How shall I bring forth my wife?" "Is she thy wife
by book[FN#65] or without marriage-lines?" "She is my wife
according to the Book of Allah and the Institutes of His
Apostle." "Where is the contract?" "Her lines are in her mother's
house." "Arise thou and come down and show us the writ." "Go from
her way, so she may come forth." Now, as soon as he got wind of
the matter, he had written the bond and fashioned it after the
fashion of his wife,[FN#66] to suit with the case, and he had
written therein the names of certain of his friends to serve as
witnesses and forged the signatures of the drawer and the wife's