wise all that my day and night, but happened not upon tidings of
her; and thus I did on the morrow.

On the third day I said to myself, "Thou art mad or witless!" For
I was going about in quest of a woman who knew me and I knew her
not, seeing that indeed she was veiled, [whenas I saw her]. Then
I went round about the third day till the hour of afternoon
prayer, and sore was my concern and my chagrin, for I knew that
there abode to me of my life but [till] the morrow, when the
chief of the police would seek me. When it was the time of
sundown, I passed through one of the streets, and beheld a woman
at a window. Her door was ajar and she was clapping her hands and
casting furtive glances at me, as who should say, "Come up by the
door." So I went up, without suspicion, and when I entered, she
rose and clasped me to her breast 1 marvelled at her affair and
she said to me, "I am she whom thou depositedst with Amin el
Hukm." Quoth I to her, "O my sister, I have been going round and
round in quest of thee, for indeed thou hast done a deed that
will be chronicled in history and hast cast me into
slaughter[FN#100] on thine account." "Sayst thou this to me,"
asked she, "and thou captain of men?" And I answered, "How should
I not be troubled, seeing that I am in concern [for an affair]
that I turn over and over [in my mind], more by token that I
abide my day long going about [searching for thee] and in the
night I watch its stars [for wakefulness]?" Quoth she, "Nought
shall betide but good, and thou shalt get the better of him."

So saying, she rose [and going] to a chest, took out therefrom
six bags full of gold and said to me, "This is what I took from
Amin el Hukm's house. So, if thou wilt, restore it; else the