shop and brought out thence the casket and a somewhat making a
great display, which he removed to his house. At break of day he
arose and going to his shop, broke the lock and shouted and
shrieked and called on Allah for aid, till each and every of the
folk assembled about him and all who were in the city were
present, whereupon he cried out to them, saying even as the
Prefect had bidden him; and this was bruited abroad. Then he made
for the Prefecture and presenting himself before the Chief of
Police, cried out and complained and made a show of distraction.
After three days, the old woman came to him and bringing him the
thousand diners, the price of the stuffs, de mended the
casket.[FN#77] When he saw her, he seized her and carried her to
the Prefect of the city; and when she came before the Kazi, he
said to her, "Woe to thee O Sataness; did not thy first deed
suffice thee, but thou must come a second time?" She replied, "I
am of those who seek their salvation[FN#78] in the cities, and we
foregather every month: and, yesterday we foregathered." He asked
her, "Canst thou cause me to catch them?" and she answered, "Yes;
but, an thou wait till to-morrow, they will have dispersed; so I
will deliver them to thee to-night." The Emir said to her, "Go;"
and said she, "Send with me one who shall go with me to them and
obey me in whatso I shall say to him, and all that I bid him he
shall not gainsay and therein conform to my way." Accordingly, he
gave her a company of men and she took them and bringing them to
a certain door, said to them, "Stand ye here, at this door, and
whoso cometh out to you seize him; and I will come out to you
last of all." "Hearing and obeying," answered they and stood at
the door, whilst the crone went in. They waited a whole hour,
even as the Sultan's deputy had bidden them, but none came out to
them and their standing waxed longsome, and when they were weary