that which befalleth his Assessors." The Notary rose to go, but
the Lieutenant feared for himself and was urgent in beseeching
the Assessor and in kissing his hands till he forgave him;
whereupon the Lieutenant went away in the utmost concern and
affright. On such wise the Assessor ordered the case and carried
out the forgery and feigned marriage with the woman; and thus
escaped calumny and calamity by the seemliness of his
stratagem.[FN#72] The folk marvelled at this with the uttermost
marvel and the seventh constable said, "There befel me in
Alexandria the God-guarded a wondrous thing, and 'twas
this."[FN#73]




The Seventh Constable's History.



There came one day an old woman to the stuff-bazar, with a casket
of mighty fine workmanship, containing trinkets, and she was
accompanied by a young baggage big with child. The crone sat down
at the shop of a draper and giving him to know that the girl was
pregnant by the Prefect[FN#74] of Police of the city, took of
him, on credit, stuffs to the value of a thousand diners and
deposited with him the casket as security. She opened the casket
and showed him that which was therein and he found it full of
trinkets of price; so he trusted her with the goods and she
farewelled him and carrying the stuffs to the girl who was with
her, went her way. Then the old woman was absent from him a great