out to the housekeeper and said to her, "Take this para and fetch
us water therewith, so we may wash the flags withal."
Accordingly, the housekeeper brought two pitchers of water and I
took one of them and giving her my clothes, entered the lavatory
and washed.

When I had made an end of washing, I cried out, saying, "Harkye,
my lady Rihaneh!" But none answered me. So I went out and found
her not; and indeed she had taken my clothes and that which was
therein of money, to wit, four hundred dirhems. Moreover, she had
taken my turban and my handkerchief and I found not wherewithal
to cover my nakedness; wherefore I suffered somewhat than which
death is less grievous and abode looking about the place, so
haply I might espy wherewithal to hide my shame. Then I sat a
little and presently going up to the door, smote upon it;
whereupon up came the housekeeper and I said to her, "O my
sister, what hath God done with the woman who was here?" Quoth
she, "She came down but now and said, 'I am going to cover the
boys with the clothes and I have left him sleeping. If he awake,
tell him not to stir till the clothes come to him.'" Then said I,
"O my sister, secrets are [safe] with the worthy and the
freeborn. By Allah, this woman is not my wife, nor ever in my
life have I seen her before this day!" And I recounted to her the
whole affair and begged her to cover me, informing her that I was
discovered of the privities.

She laughed and cried out to the women of the house, saying, "Ho,
Fatimeh! Ho, Khedijeh! Ho, Herifeh! Ho, Senineh!" Whereupon all
those who were in the place of women and neighbours flocked to me
and fell a-laughing at me and saying, "O blockhead, what ailed