whole is lawfully thine; and if thou desire other than this,
[thou shalt have it;] for I have wealth in plenty and I had no
design in this but to marry thee." Then she arose and opening
[other] chests, brought out therefrom wealth galore and I said to
her, "O my sister, I have no desire for all this, nor do I covet
aught but to be quit of that wherein I am." Quoth she, "I came
not forth of the [Cadi's] house without [making provision for]
thine acquittance."

Then said she to me, "To-morrow morning, when Amin el Hukm
cometh, have patience with him till he have made an end of his
speech, and when he is silent, return him no answer; and if the
prefect say to thee, 'What ailest thee that thou answereth him
not?' do thou reply, 'O lord, know that the two words are not
alike, but there is no [helper] for him who is undermost[FN#101],
save God the Most High.'[FN#102] The Cadi will say, 'What is the
meaning of thy saying," The two words are not alike"?' And do
thou make answer, saying, 'I deposited with thee a damsel from
the palace of the Sultan, and most like some losel of thy
household hath transgressed against her or she hath been privily
murdered. Indeed, there were on her jewels and raiment worth a
thousand dinars, and hadst thou put those who are with thee of
slaves and slave-girls to the question, thou hadst assuredly lit
on some traces [of the crime].' When he heareth this from thee,
his agitation will redouble and he will be confounded and will
swear that needs must thou go with him to his house; but do thou
say, 'That will I not do, for that I am the party aggrieved, more
by token that I am under suspicion with thee.' If he redouble in
calling [on God for aid] and conjure thee by the oath of divorce,
saying, 'Needs must thou come,' do thou say, 'By Allah, I will