Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/302

268 became more obedient to him than the hand to the mouth and did whatever he bade him. One day, he said to him, “Harkye, such an one; wilt thou not bring me into thy dwelling some time when thy lady is gone out?” “Yes,” answered the steward; so, when his master was at the shop and his mistress gone forth to the bath, he took his friend and bringing him into the house, showed him all that was therein.

Now the lover was minded to play a trick upon the lady; so he took white of egg, that he had brought with him in a vessel, and sprinkled it on the merchant’s bed, unseen of the young man, after which he left the house and went his way. Presently, the merchant came home and going to the bed, to rest himself, found thereon something wet. So he took it up in his hand and looked at it and deemed it human sperm; whereat he looked at the young man with angry eyes and said to him, “Where is thy mistress?” “She is gone forth to the bath and will return forthright,” replied he. When the man heard this, his suspicion was confirmed and he said, “Go and bring her back at once.” The steward accordingly fetched her and when she came before her husband, the latter sprang upon her and beat her grievously, then, binding her hands behind her, offered to kill her; but she cried out to the neighbours, who came to her, and she said to them, “My husband has beaten me without cause and is minded to kill me, though I know not what I have done.” So they said to him, “Why hast thou dealt thus by her?” And he answered, saying, “She is divorced.” Said they, “Thou hast no right to maltreat her; either divorce her or use her kindly, for we know her chastity. Indeed, she hath been our neighbour this long time and we know no evil of her.” Quoth he, “When I came home, I found on my bed human sperm, and I know not the meaning of this.” Upon this, one of those present came forward and said, “Show it to me.” When