the dead have no occasion for good.' And they were divided in
opinion as to returning: but [presently they came to a decision
and] said, 'Indeed, our arms are gone and we cannot avail against
them and will not draw near the place where they are: only let
one of us [go thither and] look at it, and if he hear no sound of
them, let him advertise us what we shall do.' So they agreed that
they should send a man of them and assigned him [for this
service] two parts [of the booty].

Accordingly, he returned to the burial-ground and gave not over
going till he stood at the door of the sepulchre, when he heard
El Merouzi say to his fellow, 'I will not give thee a single
dirhem of the money!' The other said the like and they were
occupied with contention and mutual revilement and talk. So the
thief returned in haste to his fellows, who said, 'What is behind
thee?' Quoth he, 'Get you gone and flee for your lives and save
yourselves, O fools; for that much people of the dead are come to
life and between them are words and contention.' So the thieves
fled, whilst the two sharpers retained to Er Razi's house and
made peace with one another and laid the thieves' purchase to the
money they had gotten aforetime and lived a while of time. Nor, O
king of the age," added the vizier, "is this rarer or more
marvellous than the story of the four sharpers with the
money-changer and the ass."

When the king heard this story, he smiled and it pleased him and
he bade the vizier go away to his own house.

The Twenty-Second Night of the Month.