Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 3.djvu/122

104 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 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 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 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 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