Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 2.djvu/77

57 for I have a son, a fine-drawer, and he, by thy life, shall fine-draw [the holes] and restore the turban-cloth as it was.” The wife rejoiced in her saying and said to her, “And when shall this be?” “To-morrow, if it please God the Most High,” answered the old woman, “I will bring him to thee, at the time of thy husband’s going forth from thee, and he shall mend it and depart forthright.” Then she comforted her heart and going forth from her, returned to the young man and told him what had passed.

Now, when the draper saw the turban-cloth, he resolved to put away his wife and waited but till he should get together that which was obligatory on him of the dowry and what not else, for fear of her people. When the old woman arose in the morning, she took the young man and carried him to the draper’s house. The wife opened the door to her and the ill-omened old woman entered with him and said to the lady, “Go, fetch that which thou wouldst have fine-drawn and give it to my son.” So saying, she locked the door on her, whereupon the young man forced her and did his occasion of her and went forth. Then said the old woman to her, “Know that this is my son and that he loved thee with an exceeding love and was like to lose his life for longing after thee. So I practised on thee with this device and came to thee with this turban-cloth, which is not thy husband’s, but my son’s. Now have I accomplished my