Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 2.djvu/154

 THE SECOND OFFICER’S STORY.

I was once an officer in the household of the Amir Jemaleddin El Atwesh El Mujhidi, who was invested with the governance of the Eastern and Western districts, and I was dear to his heart and he concealed from me nought of that which he purposed to do; and withal he was master of his reason. it was reported to him that the daughter of such an one had wealth galore and raiment and jewels and she loved a Jew, whom every day she invited to be private with her, and they passed the day eating and drinking in company and he lay the night with her. The prefect feigned to give no credence to this story, but one night he summoned the watchmen of the quarter and questioned them of this. Quoth one of them, “O my lord, I saw a Jew enter the street in question one night; but know not for certain to whom he went in.” And the prefect said, “Keep thine eye on him henceforth and note what place he entereth.” So the watchman went out and kept his eye on the Jew.

One day, as the prefect sat [in his house], the watchman came in to him and said, “O my lord, the Jew goeth