had behaved frowardly. On the next day he proposed for another
wife and married her and entreated her in like fashion as the
first; and when she demanded a divorce, he shredded off her
nostrils and put her away; and whatever woman he espoused he
starved by his stinginess and tortured with hunger, and when any
demanded a divorce he would chop off her nose on false presences
and put her away without paying aught either of her marriage
settlement or of the contingent dowry. At last the report of that
Kazi's avarice came to the ears of a damsel of Mosul-city, a
model of beauty and loveliness who had insight into things hidden
and just judgment and skilful contrivance. Thereupon, resolved
to avenge her sex, she left her native place and journeyed till
she made Tarabulus; and by the decree of the Decreer at that very
time the judge, after a day spent in his garden, purposed to
return home so he mounted his mule and met her half-way between
the pleasance and the town. He chanced to glance at her and saw
that she was wondrous beautiful and lovely, symmetrical and
graceful and the spittle ran from his mouth wetting his
mustachios; and he advanced and accosting her said, "O thou noble
one, whence comest thou hither?" "From behind me!" "Connu. I knew
that; but from what city?" "From Mosul." "Art thou single and
secluded or femme couverte with a husband alive?" "Single I am
still!" "Can it be that thou wilt take me and thou become to me
mate and I become to thee man?" "If such be our fate 'twill take
place and I will give thee an answer to-morrow;" and so saying
the damsel went on to Tarabulus. Now the Kazi after hearing her
speech felt his love for her increase; so next morning he sent to
ask after her, and when they told him that she had alighted at a
Khan, he despatched to her the negress his concubine with a party
of friends to ask her in marriage, notifying that he was Kazi of