Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/321

287 daughter,” rejoined the old woman, “look thou to what I counsel thee and beware of crossing me, for I am in great fear for thee. If thou know not his abiding-place, describe him to me, that I may fetch him to thee, and let not any one’s heart be angered against thee.” So the lady described him to her, and she feigned not to know him and said, “When I go out, I will ask after him.” But when she left the lady, she went straight to the young man and said to him, “Be of good cheer, for I have played with the girl’s wits, [so that she hath consented;] so come thou to-morrow at noonday and wait at the end of the street, till I come and carry thee to her house, where thou shalt take thine ease with her the rest of the day and all night long.” At this the young man rejoiced greatly and gave her half a score dinars, saying, “When I have gotten my desire [of her,] I will give thee other ten dinars.”

Then she returned to the lady and said to her, “I have seen him and spoken with him on the matter. I found him exceeding wroth with thee and minded to do thee hurt, but I plied him with fair words till he agreed to come to-morrow at the time of the call to midday prayer.”midday-prayer.” [sic] When the lady heard this, she rejoiced exceedingly and said, “O my mother, if he keep his promise, I will give thee ten dinars.” Quoth the old woman, “Look to none but me to bring him to thee.” When the next day came, she said to the lady, “Make ready the morning mealmorning-meal [sic] and adorn thyself and don thy richest clothes and ornaments, whilst I go and fetch him to thee.” Accordingly, she clad herself in her richest apparel and made ready food, whilst the old woman went out to look for the young man. The latter came not and she went round looking for him, but could come by no news of him; so she said to herself, “What is to be done? Shall the food she has made ready be wasted and I lose the reward she promised me? Indeed, I will not lose my pains thus, but will look her out