(When Shehriyar heard this, he said in himself, 'By Allah, I have
indeed been reckless in the slaying of women and girls, and
praised be God who hath occupied me with this damsel from the
slaughter of souls, for that the slaughter of souls is a grave
[matter!] By Allah, if Shah Bekht spare the vizier, I will
assuredly spare Shehrzad!' Then he gave ear to the story and
heard her say to her sister:)

Quoth Selma to Selim, 'Hasten not to slay him, but ponder the
matter and consider the issue to which it may lead; for whoso
considereth not the issues [of his actions], fortune is no friend
to him.' Then they arose on the morrow and occupied themselves
with devising how they should turn away their mother from that
man, and she forebode mischief from them, by reason of that which
she saw in their eyes of alteration, for that she was keen of wit
and crafty. So she took precaution for herself against her
children and Selma said to Selim, 'Thou seest that whereinto we
have fallen through this woman, and indeed she hath gotten wind
of our purpose and knoweth that we have discovered her secret.
So, doubtless, she will plot against us the like of that which we
plot for her; for indeed up to now she had concealed her affair,
and now she will forge lies against us; wherefore, methinks,
there is a thing [fore-]written to us, whereof God (extolled be
His perfection and exalted be He!) knew in His foreknowledge and
wherein He executeth His ordinances.' 'What is that?' asked he,
and she said, 'It is that we arise, I and thou, and go forth this
night from this land and seek us a land wherein we may live and
witness nought of the doings of yonder traitress; for whoso is
absent from the eye is absent from the heart, and quoth one of
the poets in the following verse: