Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/319

285 out and weeping and imploring succour. But none came to him and he ceased not to do thus, saying, “I will kill myself!” till at last, finding no way of access to his wife and being distraught with rage and jealousy he went up to the top of the bath and casting himself down therefrom, died. Moreover, O King,’ continued the Vizier, ‘there hath reached me another story of the malice of women.’ ‘What is that?’ asked the King, and the Vizier said, ‘Know, O King, that THE WIFE’S DEVICE TO CHEAT HER HUSBAND.

There was once a woman, who had no equal in her day for beauty and grace and perfection; and a certain lewd fellow, setting eyes on her, fell passionately in love with her, but she was chaste and inclined not to adultery. It chanced one day that her husband went on a journey to a certain town, whereupon the young man fell to sending to her many times a day; but she made him no reply. At last, he resorted to an old woman, who dwelt hard by, and complained to her of his suffering for love of the woman and his longing to enjoy her. Quoth she, “I will warrant thee this; no harm shall befall thee, for I will surely bring thee to thy desire, if it please God the Most High.” So he gave her a dinar and went his way. Next day she went in to the woman and clapping up an acquaintance with her, fell to visiting her daily, eating the morning with her and the evening mealevening-meal [sic] and carrying away food for her children. Moreover, she used to sport and jest with her, till the wife became corrupted and could not endure an hour without her company.

Now she was wont, when she left the lady’s house, to feed a bitch, that was in that quarter, with the fragments