next friend and made it a contract of marriage with his wife and
a legal deed.[FN#67] Accordingly, when the woman was about to go
out from him, he gave her the contract he had forged, and the
Emir sent with her a servant of his, to carry her home to her
father. So the servant went with her and when she was inside she
said to him, "I will not return to the citation of the Emir: but
let the Assessors present themselves and take my contract."
Hereupon the servant carried this message to the Lieutenant of
police, who was standing at the Assessor's door, and he said,
"This is permissible." Then said the Assessor to the servant,
"Fare, O eunuch, and fetch us Such-an-one the Notary;" for that
he was his friend and 'twas he whose name he had forged as the
drawer-up of the contract.[FN#68] So the Lieutenant sent after
him and fetched him to the Assessor, who, when he saw him, said
to him, "Get thee to Such-an-one, her with whom thou marriedst
me, and cry out upon her, and when she cometh to thee,[FN#69]
demand of her the contract and take it from her and bring it to
us." And he signed to him, as much as to say, "Bear me out in the
lie and screen me, for that she is a strange woman and I[FN#70]
am in fear of the Lieutenant who standeth at the door; and we
beseech Allah Almighty to screen us and you from the woes of this
world. Amen." So the Notary went up to the Lieutenant, who was
among the witnesses, and said, " 'Tis well. Is she not Such-an-
one whose marriage-contract we drew up in such a place?" Then he
betook himself to the woman's house and cried out upon her;
whereat she brought him the forged contract and he took it and
returned with it to the Lieutenant of police.[FN#71] When the
officer had taken cognizance of the document and professed
himself satisfied, the Assessor said to the Notary, "Go to our
lord and master, the Kazi of the Kazis, and acquaint him with