name, and said to her, "O damsel, I purpose to discover to thee
mine affair, and I charge thee keep my secret; to wit, I would
have thee betake thyself to the house of the nurse, who used to
serve me, and fetch her to me, for that I have grave occasion for
her."

Accordingly, Shefikeh went out and repairing to the nurse's
house, found her clad in apparel other[FN#100] than that which
she had been wont to wear aforetime. So she saluted her and said
to her, "Whence hadst thou this dress, than which there is no
goodlier?" "O Shefikeh," answered the nurse, "thou deemest that I
have gotten[FN#101] no good save of thy mistress; but, by Allah,
had I endeavoured for her destruction, I had done [that which was
my right], for that she did with me what thou knowest[FN#102] and
bade the eunuch beat me, without offence of me committed;
wherefore do thou tell her that he, on whose behalf I bestirred
myself with her, hath made me quit of her and her humours, for
that he hath clad me in this habit and given me two hundred and
fifty dinars and promised me the like thereof every year and
charged me serve none of the folk."

Quoth Shefikeh, "My mistress hath occasion for thee; so come thou
with me and I will engage to restore thee to thy dwelling in weal
and safety." But the nurse answered, saying, "Indeed, her palace
is become forbidden[FN#103] to me and never again will I enter
therein, for that God (extolled be His perfection and exalted be
He!) of His favour and bounty hath rendered me independent of
her." So Shefikeh returned to her mistress and acquainted her
with the nurse's words and that wherein she was of affluence;
whereupon Mariyeh confessed the unseemliness of her dealing with